Early Warning Signs Of Ovarian Cancer In Women: Ovarian cancer is considered to be the third most common cancer among women in India. The matter of concern is that most women recognize it when the disease has progressed significantly. According to experts, about 70 to 80 percent of ovarian cancer cases in India occur in advanced stage. The main reason for this is not that the disease cannot be caught early, but its initial symptoms are so common that they are often ignored considering it to be some other problem.

Are its symptoms not known in advance?

Oncologists have long called ovarian cancer a silent disease, but Dr. Sampada Desai told TOI that this disease is not completely silent. According to him, ovarian cancer is definitely called silent cancer, but it gives less symptoms. Its symptoms are often very general and mostly resemble problems related to digestion. Sampada Desai says that early filling of the stomach, constant flatulence, feeling of discomfort in the upper stomach and digestion related problems can be its initial signs. The problem is that women avoid these symptoms by associating them with gas, hormonal changes or other general problems.

Which problems should not be ignored?

According to Dr. Shona Nag, persistent flatulence is one of the most common signs. Many patients report that they feel extremely full even after eating less food. If along with this, pain in the lower abdominal or pelvic area persists or returns again and again, then it should not be ignored. Apart from this, abnormal changes in periods, too much or too little bleeding, irregular periods or any kind of bleeding after menopause can be serious signs. According to Dr. Shona, hormonal changes are common, but persistent irregularities demand medical examination. Similarly, smelly, bloody or abnormal vaginal discharge after menopause can also be a warning sign.

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What things should be kept in mind?

According to experts, if any symptom persists for more than two weeks or appears for more than 12 days in a month, then a gynecologic oncologist should be immediately consulted. Women who have a family history of ovarian, breast or colon cancer need to be especially cautious. In such cases the genetic risk is higher. Since there is no regular screening test available for ovarian cancer like cervical or breast cancer, awareness is the biggest weapon.

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Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.

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Early Signs Of Ovarian CancerOvarian cancer is the third most common gynecological cancer in the world and one of the leading causes of cancer death among women in the United States. It is often called a silent killer, because in the initial stages it grows almost without making any noise and by the time it is detected, the disease has progressed significantly. According to global data for the year 2024, about 3.24 lakh new cases occurred in the world and about 2.06 lakh women died due to this disease.
In most cases, this cancer starts from a malignant tumor forming in the ovary. Especially epithelial ovarian cancer, which is caused by rapid growth of abnormal cells. Overall, a woman’s lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer is considered to be about 1.3 percent, but this risk can increase several fold due to age, family history and certain genetic mutations. This is why timely identification becomes very important.

Why is early detection so difficult?

The problem is that in the early stages, ovarian cancer gives such symptoms which women often ignore, considering them a minor problem. This is why, according to the Mayo Clinic, about 75 percent of cases are detected in stage 3 or 4, when the cancer has spread beyond the ovary. Because the initial symptoms usually appear like flatulence, early filling of stomach, mild stomach pain or changing digestive habits, which are often dismissed as normal. That’s why identification happens late. On top of that, there is no regular screening test available for this disease.

Why is ovarian cancer detected so late?

The ovaries are deep within the body, hidden behind many organs. Small tumors are not easily felt and early cancer often does not cause any obvious symptoms. By the time symptoms start appearing, the disease has spread many times. For this reason, only 20 to 25 percent of patients’ cancer is caught in the early stages. As the disease progresses, the chances of survival decrease significantly.

What does Mayo Clinic’s new research say?

An important Mayo Clinic study came out this year, showing that the cells lining the fallopian tubes, which are now believed to be the initial source of ovarian cancer, begin to show subtle changes in the very early stages of the disease. The woman involved in the study was only 22 years old, but she had genetic mutations that increase the risk of cancer. The scan showed only a simple cyst, but on deeper testing, pre-cancerous changes were found in the cells.

Which common symptoms can be early signs of ovarian cancer?

Experts say that the symptoms which most women dismiss as minor problems, can actually be warning signs. In this-

• persistent bloating or heaviness in the stomach
• Feeling full after eating something
• Mild pain in the lower abdomen or pelvic area
• back pain, especially lower back
• Constipation, diarrhea or change in urinary habits
• Fatigue, weakness, sudden change in weight

Because these symptoms seem like everyday problems, it is very easy to take them lightly. But if these persist for two-three weeks continuously, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

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Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.

Check out below Health Tools-
Calculate Your Body Mass Index (BMI)

Calculate The Age Through Age Calculator