The earlier all cancers are detected, the higher the survival rate. The same goes for ovarian cancer. However, detecting this cancer is never easy. Recent research findings suggest that by carefully observing four symptoms, ovarian cancer can be detected slightly earlier.

 

According to the Australian non-profit media outlet 'The Conversation,' four symptoms that can help early detection of ovarian cancer are abdominal bloating and discomfort, abdominal pain, frequent urination, and feeling full quickly after eating. Recently, a joint research team from the University of Birmingham and Oxford University in the UK analyzed data from 1,741 people (average age 63) recruited from 24 hospitals in the UK and reported these findings.

 

According to the research team, the five-year survival rate after treatment is 92% when ovarian cancer has not spread to other areas (non-metastasized). However, more than 50% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are initially found to have the cancer already spread to other parts of the body. The survival rate when the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes is 72%, and when the cancer has already metastasized to distant sites at the time of diagnosis, the survival rate drops to 31%. This underscores the importance of early detection of ovarian cancer. Professor Shaun Kehoe from Oxford University, co-author of the study and an expert in gynecologic oncology, stated, “By focusing on four symptoms, including abdominal bloating, we were able to detect even the most aggressive forms of ovarian cancer at an early stage.”

Ovarian cancer cannot be detected through cervical cancer screening (Pap smear test), and pelvic exams are not very useful as primary screening tests. Additionally, many symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, and irregular menstruation are vague and often overlap with other common illnesses. Because of this, there is a significant difficulty in early detection of ovarian cancer before conducting detailed examinations.

 

The research team recruited 2,596 women aged 16 to 90 from 24 hospitals across the UK between June 2015 and July 2022. They asked these women to monitor four symptoms, including abdominal bloating. The team classified women who reported at least one of these symptoms persistently or frequently (1,741 women) as being on a 'fast-track pathway' for focused management. Among these women, approximately 12% were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Additionally, 6.8% were diagnosed with the most aggressive form of ovarian cancer (high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma). This type accounts for about 90% of deaths caused by ovarian cancer. However, one in four women with this ovarian cancer was diagnosed early at an initial stage.

 

The research team stated, "By focusing on four key symptoms, early detection of ovarian cancer is possible, which can significantly reduce the number of doctors advising all women with common fatigue or constipation to undergo ovarian cancer screening." This means that the efficiency of ovarian cancer screening and treatment can be improved.

 

Meanwhile, four ways to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer include reducing the number of ovulations, taking oral contraceptives, prophylactic oophorectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy for women with high genetic risk (such as those with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations), and regular gynecological cancer screenings.

 

 

 

===================

Ovarian cancer??

You are required to undergo a cervical cancer screening every two years.

It's difficult to find it even there.

 

It seems that additional tests are needed for the liver and lungs.

There are many additional things to do during this year's health check-up.