OVARIAN CANCER
Health writer Jackie Mitchell looks at the symptoms and treatments available.
MARCH is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Ovarian cancer develops when abnormal cells grow in and around the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Even if the ovaries have been removed, there is still a risk, as it can affect the fallopian tubes and the stomach lining.
The main symptoms include persistent stomach and abdominal pain, bloating, difficulty eating, feeling full more quickly and the need to urinate more frequently.
Other symptoms can include indigestion, back pain, changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, post-menopausal vaginal bleeding and extreme tiredness.
“Symptoms such as abdominal pain and bloating are also common among less serious illnesses such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS),” Marie-claire Platt from Ovarian Cancer Action says.
“If you start to have these symptoms in your fifties or later, it is unlikely to be IBS, as this generally develops in people in their twenties and thirties.”
If symptoms are persistent, severe and frequent, consult your GP.
“It’s useful to keep a record of your symptoms and have your notes to hand,” Marie-claire says.
A downloadable symptoms diary from Ovarian Cancer Action can help.
Although women can get ovarian cancer at any age, most cases are post-menopause.
“We know that women who have periods for a greater part of their life have a higher risk of ovarian cancer.
“If you start your periods early, before the age of twelve, and/or go through menopause later than average – over fifty-five – you are at increased risk of ovarian cancer.
“The theory is that this is because you have ovulated more in your life,” Marie-claire explains.
Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) slightly increases the risk of ovarian cancer, but this decreases gradually once you stop.
“For most women, the benefits outweigh the risks, so discuss with your GP if you’re concerned,” Marie-claire adds.
If you have a family history of certain cancers, there is the possibility that you are at higher risk of ovarian cancer.
The easiest way to check if you might be eligible for genetic testing is to use the Ovarian Cancer Action Hereditary Cancer Risk Tool on the charity’s website.
Treatment depends on the type, stage and grade of the cancer you’re diagnosed with and will be decided by a multi-disciplinary team.
Usually it will involve surgery and chemotherapy.
There are targeted medications available for certain types of ovarian cancer, and there are also clinical research trials to help find new treatments, which you can take part in.
Ovarian Cancer Action is holding Walk In Her Name, where people are encouraged to walk 100 km this month to raise funds and awareness.
Visit ovarian.org.uk or call 020 7380 1730 for more information.