When to see your doctor
Ovarian cancer is often tagged as the silent killer, but why is this? The symptoms of ovarian cancer can be very vague, especially when the disease is in its early stages and this is why it is often missed or diagnosed later down the line. Many women do not even know what to look out for. Would you?
You should arrange to see your doctor if you have any of these signs and symptoms:
- feeling full quickly
- loss of appetite
- pain in your tummy (abdomen) or lower part of your abdomen that doesn’t go away
- bloating or an increase in the size of your abdomen
- needing to wee more often
You may also have these other symptoms:
- unexplained tiredness
- unexplained weight loss
- changes in your bowel habit or symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, especially if this starts after the age of 50
These can all be symptoms of other less serious conditions but if you have something that is not normal for you then get them checked out… NICE guidelines suggest that if you are experiencing any of these symptoms 12 or more times in a month then seek GP advice for referral investigations. IF IN DOUBT CHECK IT OUT!
So, what is Ovarian Cancer?
The ovaries are part of a woman’s reproductive system, which is made up of the:
- vulva
- vagina
- womb or uterus (which includes the cervix)
- fallopian tubes
- ovaries
A woman has 2 ovaries on each side of the body. Each month, women of childbearing age will produce an egg called an oocyte in an ovary. Did you know we are born with all the eggs we will produce in a lifetime?
Ovarian cancer is when abnormal cells in the ovary begin to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way, eventually causing a tumour. If not caught early, cancer cells gradually grow into the surrounding tissues and can spread to other parts of the body.
Around 7,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the UK each year making ovarian cancer the 6th most common in women.
As with most illnesses and diseases, there are risk factors but these do not mean you are going to get ovarian cancer. Being aware of the risk factors, alongside possible symptoms, hopefully, empowers women to seek help early on and avoid being diagnosed too far along into the disease.
What are the risk factors?
- AGE – like most cancers, your risk increases with age. The risk of ovarian cancer is greatly increased from 45 years but is greatest in those aged between 75 and 79 years.
- INHERITED GENES – BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are examples of inherited faulty genes increasing one’s risks for cancers such as breast and ovarian.
- PREVIOUS HISTORY OF CANCER – especially breast cancer.
- HRT – the increase in risk is small, 4%. HRT is helpful for many women with menopausal symptoms. Talk to your GP about the risks and benefits of taking HRT.
- SMOKING
- ASBESTOS
- BEING OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE
- OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS – such as endometriosis and insulin-controlled diabetes.
Are there any protective factors involved?
Research has shown that taking the combined pill at any point in your life reduces the risk of ovarian cancer and the longer you have taken it the more your risk is reduced. It can even help to protect you for up to 10 years after stopping taking it!
Having children seems to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, and the more you have the lower the risk. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of ovarian cancer.
This risk reduction may be because while you are pregnant or breastfeeding you’re not ovulating (releasing eggs). The fewer times you ovulate in your lifetime, the lower the risk of ovarian cancer.
Having a hysterectomy was thought to lower your risk but more recently this has come under question or is possibly linked to what age you were when the surgery was performed.
March is Ovarian cancer month. Every action you take, like reading this blog, or sharing it with a friend or family member, will help arm women with the knowledge that could just save their life.
