THE SILENT KILLER IN WOMEN REVEALED: TOP 6 WARNING SIGNS OF OVARIAN CANCER
Dr. Oz discusses the top 6 warning signs of ovarian cancer. Dr. Oz reveals symptoms every woman should know to prevent ovarian cancer's deadly attack.
Dr. Barbara Goff Joins Dr. Oz today on the silent killer that strikes women, and it's symptoms are silent. Today they talked about the 6 warning signs to unmask this killer. Ovarian Cancer is the deadliest cancer of the female reproductive system. He went on to say that nearly 15,000 women die from it every year. A shocking 80 percent of Ovarian Cancers are discovered too late, after the cancer has already spread outside the ovaries.
Gynecologic cancers are cancers that start in a woman's reproductive organs. There are five main types of gynecologic cancer—
Cervical cancer
Ovarian cancer
Uterine cancer
Vaginal cancer
Vulvar cancer
Each gynecologic cancer is unique, with different signs, symptoms, risk factors (things that may increase your chance of getting a disease), and prevention strategies.
Learn more about each Gynecologic Cancer, including warning sign and risk factors—
According to American Cancer Society -- Deaths: An estimated 14,600 deaths are expected in 2009. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Death rates for ovarian cancer have been stable since 1998.
What is ovarian cancer
Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later.
When cancer starts in the ovaries, it is called ovarian cancer. Women have two ovaries that are located in the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries make female hormones and produce eggs.
Treatment is most effective When ovarian cancer is found in its early stages. All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but older women are more likely to get the disease than younger women. About 90 percent of women who get ovarian cancer are older than 40 years of age, with the greatest number being aged 55 years or older.
Risk Factors For Ovarian Cancer
There are several factors that may increase the chance that you will get ovarian cancer, including;
Are middle-aged or older.
Have close family members (such as your mother, sister, aunt, or grandmother) on either your mother’s or your father’s side who have had ovarian cancer.
Have had breast, uterine, or colorectal cancer.
Have an Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish background.
Have never given birth or have had trouble getting pregnant.
Have endometriosis (a condition where tissue from the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body).
If you have one or more of these factors, it does not mean you will get ovarian cancer. But you should speak with your doctor about your risk.
Tubal liga- tion and hysterectomy appear to decrease risk for most women. The use of estrogen alone as postmenopausal hormone therapy has been shown to increase risk in sev- eral large studies. Heavier body weight may be associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Signs And Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer often causes signs and symptoms. See your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional if you have any of these signs every day for two weeks or longer and they are not normal for you, especially if they get worse:Dr. Oz Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer; The most common sign is enlarge- ment of the abdomen, which is caused by accumulation of fluid. Pain in the pelvic or abdominal area (the area below your stomach and in between your hip bones). Back pain. Being tired all the time.
Bloating, which is when the area below your stomach swells or feels full.
A change in your bathroom habits, such as having to pass urine very badly or very often. An upset stomach or heartburn. Discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.
1. Bloating
2. Increased abdominal size
3. Abdominal pain
4. Pelvic pain
5. Difficulty eating
6. Feeling full quickly
Also, see your doctor if you have any bleeding from your vagina that is not normal for you, particularly if you are past menopause. These symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know is to see your doctor. Treatment is most effective when ovarian cancer is found and treated early.
An estimated 21,550 new cases of ovarian cancer are expected in the US in 2009. Ovarian cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers among women and ranks second among gynecologic cancers.
Early Detection Of Ovarian Cancer
Early detection: There is currently no sufficiently accu- rate screening test proven to be effective in the early detection of ovarian cancer. Pelvic examination only occasionally detects ovarian cancer, generally when the disease is advanced. However, the combination of a thorough pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound, and a blood test for the tumor marker CA125 may be offered to women who are at high risk of ovarian cancer and to women who have persistent, unexplained symptoms. For women at average risk, transvaginal ultrasound and testing for the tumor marker CA125 may help in diagnosis but are not used for routine screening.
Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Treatment options include surgery, che- motherapy, and occasionally radiation therapy. Surgery usually involves removal of one or both ovaries, fallopian tubes (salpingoophorectomy), and the uterus (hysterec- tomy). In younger women with very early stage tumors who wish to have children, only the involved ovary and fallopian tube may be removed. In more advanced disease, surgically removing all abdominal metastases enhances the effect of chemotherapy and helps improve survival. For women with stage III ovarian cancer that has been optimally debulked (removal of as much of the cancerous tissue as possible), studies have shown that chemotherapy administered both intravenously and directly into the abdomen improves survival. Studies have found that women who are treated by a gynecologic oncologist have more successful outcomes.
Because the symptoms of ovarian cancer often mimic other conditions, they are sometimes misdiagnosed or ignored. By tracking the persistency of the symptoms, over time women will be better able to discuss their options for further diagnostics with their doctors. By using the Symptom Diary and the Interim Guidance, we believe that more women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer earlier and hope that lives can be saved.
SYMPTOM DIARY AND PRACTICE GUIDANCE DOWNLOAD
Personal Symptom Diary, developed by the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, which can be used to track persistency of symptoms over time that may indicate the possibility of ovarian cancer. Completing this diary will help you document your concerns and assist you and your doctor in determining next steps.Dr. Oz Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer -- Daily Health Web!
The second tool is an Interim Practice Guidance and outlines important steps your doctor may take to evaluate whether your symptoms may be ovarian cancer.
