Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. It is important to educate the yourself on symptoms, risks and treatment options.
- In women over 40, ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
- 1 in 78 women will develop ovarian or pelvic cancer.
- Ovarian cancer is responsible for a higher rate of fatalities each year than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.
Ovarian cancer is often called the silent killer, as few symptoms present in the early stages of the disease. What’s worse, late stage symptoms can be explained away by other far more frequently occurring and innocuous conditions. With detection a challenge and late-stage survival rates alarmingly low, self-awareness, education, and ongoing communication with a caring, progressive OB/GYN are your best defense.
What Causes Ovarian Cancer?
The appearance of ovarian cancer cannot be attributed easily; however, observational studies show that certain factors such as age, genetics and family history, use of IVF or hormone replacement therapy, and a lack of pregnancy before the age of 35 may increase a woman’s risk. With these and other risk factors at play, talk to your doctor about your specific risks, and schedule your annual pelvic exam today!
Diagnosis & Treatment
We’ve established that this disease is difficult to detect, especially in the early stages, but that is not to say you are without options. Your own awareness is your first and best line of defense, and any persistent increase in abdominal size/bloating, problems eating/feeling full, or pelvic or abdominal pain are cause for concern and should prompt a visit to your doctor. Developed using the Goff Symptom Index as a framework to identify potential risks, the questionnaire below helps shape the consideration of your own risk and inform the conversation with your doctor:
If you or your doctor believe that you are at risk, the first steps will be to employ a complete pelvic examination, followed by various imaging tests (Transvaginal Sonography) and blood tests to determine the presence of cancer antigens. Further, your doctor may perform an Ova1®plus ovarian cancer risk assessment to determine your level of risk for malignancy and expedite appropriate treatment.
These initial steps will help to better define the situation and help determine what next steps may be necessary, such as exploratory surgery, to determine the presence of cancerous cells or determine what stage of the disease the patient is facing.
Prevention
With so much about this disease unknown, prevention is a challenge. It’s true that you can’t control your age or genetic family history, but you should have hope! Certain factors such as the use of oral birth control, pregnancy, and breastfeeding have been linked with a lower risk of ovarian cancer. But the one preventative measure on which all experts agree is that the most effective prevention combines informed awareness with annual visits to your OB/GYN. Through your awareness and our doctor’s help, your chances of avoiding or overcoming ovarian or pelvic cancer at an early stage increase dramatically.