Identify Early Ovarian Cancer Symptoms
Researchers from the United Kingdom found seven symptoms related to ovarian cancer. This discovery break the statement that ovarian cancer is a cancer that silent killer. Said to be the silent killer because it usually occurs without symptoms prior to an advanced stage.
"Ovarian cancer is not silent, it's noisy. It's just we're not very good at deciphering the noise." said study leader William Hamilton, MD, from the University of Bristol, was quoted as saying the site WebMD. 4% of women suffered cancer, according to Hamilton, is this cancer. But this ovarian cancer has a prognosis/prospect of the worst of all kinds of gynecological cancer.
Research
In a study published on BMJ.com, researchers evaluate 212 women aged 40 or over. These women have been diagnosed suffering from early stadium ovarian cancer. The researchers then compare them with healthy women 1,060.
The researchers checked participant’s medical records, 1 year before being diagnosed with cancer. The same is also done against healthy women. The researchers noted the symptoms experienced by the participants and times when they feel it.
The results of studies
The study found 7 symptoms related to cancer of the ovaries. These symptoms include:
- Abdominal distension
- Increased frequency of urinary
- Post-menopausal Bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Lost appetite
- Bleeding through the rectum
- A bloated stomach
Of the seven symptoms, abdominal distension is most symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. Hamilton gives a value of 2.5%. "2.5% means, 1 in 40 women who experience these symptoms will suffer ovarian cancer.” These figures, according to Hamilton, are quite high and comparable to the risk of lung cancer when you cough up blood or the risk of colon cancer when you are bleeding from the rectum.
While researching further, they found the participants already have 3 ovarian cancer symptoms include abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and increased frequency of urinary, at least 6 months before being diagnosed. And these symptoms were significantly related to ovarian cancer.
