Ovarian Cancer – Signs and Symptoms

Ovarian Cancer – Signs and Symptoms

It is always important to pay attention to your body and know what is normal for you from head to toe. It is especially important for women to pay attention to certain gynecologic signs that may be abnormal.  Those signs may be your body telling you something is seriously wrong. According to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2013, about 22,240 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 14,030 women will die of ovarian cancer in the United States. A woman’s lifetime risk of developing invasive ovarian cancer is 1 in 72 and a woman’s lifetime risk of dying from invasive ovarian cancer is 1 in 95.

According to the Centers For Disease Control, Ovarian cancer may cause one or more of these signs and symptoms—

• Vaginal bleeding or discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.
• Pain in the pelvic or abdominal area (the area below your stomach and between your hip bones).
• Back pain.
• Bloating, which is when the area below your stomach swells or feels full.
• Feeling full quickly while eating.
• A change in your bathroom habits, such as having to pass urine very badly or very often, constipation, or diarrhea.

Research suggests that the majority of women with ovarian cancer experience symptoms. Symptoms vary and often depend on the location of the tumor and its impact on the surrounding organs. Many ovarian cancer symptoms mimic those of less life-threatening conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome which makes it even that much more important to see a doctor if you are experiencing any of the above mentioned symptoms.