Ovarian Cancer: Not So Silent?
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By Christine Haran
Doctors and cancer advocates have traditionally been at a loss when it comes to making recommendations to women for the early detection of ovarian cancer. Not only is there no effective screening tool for ovarian cancer, it is not associated with any signature symptom. As a result, ovarian cancer is often called "the silent cancer."

Yet this cancer has a major impact on women. Every year, approximately 23,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 14,000 die of the disease, making it the fifth leading cause of cancer death for women. Detection at an earlier stage of the disease would help more women live longer: While the five-year survival rates for early-stage ovarian cancer are between 70 and 90 percent, they drop to 20 to 30 percent for women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer.

A new study, published in the June 9th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests ovarian cancer does hint at its presence in the body. The researchers, led by Barbara A. Goff, MD, of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, found that 95 percent of the participants with ovarian cancer reported symptoms before their diagnoses, including back pain, fatigue, bloating, constipation, abdominal pain and a feeling that they had to urinate urgently. Below, Mary Daly, MD, PhD, director of cancer prevention and control at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, discusses the study and the importance of weighing these symptoms in context of a woman's individual circumstances.


Why is ovarian cancer usually diagnosed in its advanced stages?
That's a question that I don't think we have an answer to. The traditional thinking has been because it doesn't produce obvious, recognizable symptoms. In contrast, gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding can be a recognizable symptom of colon cancer. So an ovarian cancer grows to an advanced stage before it's diagnosed. The other theory has been that it just grows so rapidly that there is a very short period of time when it's at an early stage. We still don't really know which of those two theories are true.

Why isn't routine screening for ovarian cancer recommended?
The existing tests, which are primarily ultrasound and a blood test called CA-125, have been studied in a variety of different settings but they haven't been accurate enough in early diagnosis of ovarian cancer to be used as a screening test for everyone. They have the problem of missing ovarian cancers, or on the other hand, being positive when there is no ovarian cancer. So their accuracy is too inadequate to make them useful as general screening tools.

read rest at:

http://womens_health.healthology.com...silent&spg=FLA

Can anyone out there help me?. I have all the symptoms of ovarian cancer(heavy bloating, extreme tiredness, pelvic pain (especially on the right hand side), back pain, constant yeast/thrush infections, abnormal menstuation bleeding and cramping (from a normal flow to heavy thick livery blood). I had an ultrasound done and they found a 4cmx4cm cyst--I was told that the cyst will dissappear over time but it has been 6mnths now and I can still feel the cyst--mobility is quite challenging at times--intercourse is extremely painfull. I was told by my gynae that she suspects BSI or endometrosis--I keep investigating over the web and the more I read about ovarian cancer the more I get concerned. I had a blood test done and my dr. says that it is normal. What do i do???????

This is definately something that your doctor should have more definate information on. If they suspect something like endometriosis then they should be testing you for those things. A lot of your symptoms are normal for most women and are pertaining to hormone fluctuations. It is possible that you do not have ovarian cancer, but maybe a hormonal imbalance. In fact, there are also many other things that are less extreme that cause those symptoms. I recommend either getting more from your doctor or a second opinion!

I am so sorry to hear that--that is my worst fear--I cannot take any pills as i had a tubiligation 3 years ago (2nd one by the way as the first one did not work-i fell pregnant but gave birth to the most adorable girl and her name is TRINITY.

Johanna, you do know that cancer CAN be beaten--just be positive and perservere--

Can you tell me how did they eventually find out and after how long--

Claudia

Oh Johanna-- I cannot express how sorry i am to hear that--but you know what, with GOD help you will win. Just trust in him and believe me, he will come thru. I had quite awfull experiences in my life where I just called out to him and yes, he came thru. I use to say this prayer "trust in The Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understandings, in all your ways acknowledge him and HE will make your paths straight. Just trust and have faith in him --call on him as he says --ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be open--Yes CANCER CAN... be beaten and you will win--I am here for you--I am going on my 2nd ultrasound come 19/9/06 --I can still feel the cyst as I am menstuating at the moment(irregular) and the pain is killing me on my right-it always has been my right ovary and that is where the cyst is located--I am so tired of going up and down to dr. and all they say is wait--it will go--In May i was sitting and wathcinf tv when i had then terrible pain in my right side and then the pain went to the uterus and back again to the right--I felt like bringing up, weak. I actaully felt some fluid dripple out of me(like when you water breaks-pregnant)--the pain continue right thru the night--I took some ibuprofen and it subsided--The next day I went to my GP who scheduled a scan and they found the cyst--while doing the ultrasound the radiologist picked up on fluid in my ovary and said that the cyst must have been much bigger and burst and that is what the pain was all about--the dr saidd that since it burst it will eventually dissappear but I know it has not as I can feel it when I walk--it aches--my menstuation is extrememly painfull--I am sitting here at work and I have already take 2 ibuprofens and nothing is helping. I cannot even think of SEX and it is so painfull I scream--I know that it is affecting my marraige as when my husband wants to have sex I make up excuses not to--he knows about the cyst and the pain and is very understanding but you know a man is a man. It has been 1 mnth since we last did anything as I am too scared of the pain. I just wish that they can find out the problem and rectifiy it --I am so scared of ovarian cancer.

Johanna--can you also tell me the symptoms that came with your cyst besides the discomfort, i.e. bloating, irregular period, heavy bleeding etc--

I am here for you.#

Johanna--one more question--was your menstuation regular or irregular--my menstuation was like clock work -always the same time 1 or 2 days out but over the last 6 mnths I can't keep count because I get it all over the calendar and the bleeding has become very thick/livery which was not the case before--also the tiredness --sometimes I cannot keep my eyes open--I feel like I have taken a sleeping pill which is not like me as I am quite an active girl i.e. playing hockey, lifting weights, dancing, earobics etc-but now all i feel like doing is sleeping-it just feels weird.

Claudia

Oh my--it seems that we definately have the same symptoms--my cramps have become quite severe now that I sometimes bow over and hold my tummy. 1 ibuprofen use to do the trick but now 2 does nothing --I have to wait until the 10/10/06 for when I see my gynae (the ultrasound is on the 19/9). It is only on the 10/10 that they will decide what to do--can I wait so long--

claudia

Johanna--how are you doing?. Sorry I have not kept in contact. I have been so busy with work etc--how are you feeling--any progress??

Last night I was feeling so out of it--it was like my body was here but I was floating somewhere up there-very light headed--this discomfort feeling was really getting to me over the weekend--it sometimes feels like somehthings wants to fall out--I ultrasound that was suppose to be for tomorrow has now been postponed for the 10 October--so I have the ultrasound in the morning and thereafter see my gynaecologist for the results--it is quite suspicious why they put the 2 appointments together. The letter read "you will see the dr. urgently"-well all I have to do it wait and wait.