Early Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

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Ovarian cancer can be explained as an uncontrolled cell growth in ovaries. The cancer might occur in either one or both the ovaries. This is the most lethal forms of cancer affecting a female reproductive system.

Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. Annually, around 25,000 patients are diagnosed with ovarian cancer out of which around 15,000 patients succumb to the disease. In many cases, cancer goes undetected as patients fail to recognize the symptoms. However, ovarian cancer can be effectively treated if diagnosed at an early stage. As per the available statistical data, if detected early, more than 90 percent of patients can have a survival rate of more than 5 years. But, ovarian cancer is detected early only in 24 percent of the patients. As per available research findings, there are quite a number of early symptoms or indications that exist with ovarian cancer.

Some of these symptoms include low back pain, excessive tiredness, fatigue, malaise, uncontrolled abdominal pain, persistent gastrointestinal irregularities like gas, nausea and indigestion, bloating, increased urge to urinate even without having any urinary tract infection, pelvic and abdominal swelling, feeling of fullness after eating just a small amount of food, unexplained weight loss or weight gain in the abdominal region, pain during intercourse and abnormal postmenopausal bleeding. However, excessive postmenopausal bleeding is quite rare and unusual symptom.

Persistence of any of these symptoms beyond 2 to 3 weeks is an indication of a probable case of ovarian cancer. Patients should immediately consult a physician or a gynecologist so that the cancer can be detected early and an effective treatment regimen can be initiated.

Early Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer