Once Known As The Silent Killer There Actually Are Common Symptoms
Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to detect early.
Only 20 percent of cases are diagnosed in the early stages, when treatment tends to be most effective.
The majority of cases are diagnosed in later stages, when the cancer has spread to other organs.
Historically, ovarian cancer was thought to be the silent killer because it developed without announcement, and before you know it, the patient had late-stage cancer, Dr. Carmel Cohen, a professor emeritus of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at The Mount Sinai Hospital, told Healthline.
Many doctors believed that the disease produced no early symptoms.
This began to change in the late 1990s, when a growing body of research found evidence of early warning signs.
Those early warning signs dont always appear, but when they do, they most often include bloating, abdominal pain, feeling full quickly, and urinary tract symptoms.
Other potential symptoms include fatigue, nausea, constipation, menstrual changes, pain during sex, and back pain.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are more commonly associated with less serious conditions, such as indigestion.
As a result, patients dont always take them seriously.
Their doctors might not suspect ovarian cancer either.
A previous study from Target Ovarian Cancer found that 41 percent of women visited their doctor at least three times before being referred for cancer tests.
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What Reduces Your Risk Of Ovarian Cancer
Just as there are factors that increase your risk, there are also factors that can reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer. These include:
- having children
- having taken combined hormone contraceptives
- surgical removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
If you are concerned about your risk, talk to your doctor.
There is currently no proven method of preventing ovarian cancer. Even removing the ovaries of a woman with a strong family history does not always prevent cancer with a very small risk of it occurring in the lining of the abdomen.
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When Cancer Goes Beyond Your Breast
If your doctor told you that your breast cancer has spread to other parts of your body, it’s at a more advanced stage than if it’s only in your breasts. How far it has spread is one of the things your doctor will consider when they tell you the “stage” of your cancer. It’s considered “metastatic” if it has spread far from your breasts. Every case is different. For some women, it becomes something they live with for a long time. For others, focusing on pain management and quality of life is the main goal.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer
Unfortunately, ovarian cancer can develop, become quite large and spread throughout the abdomen before it causes any symptoms. This can make early detection difficult. When you experience symptoms, they can include:
- Having pain, discomfort or bloating in your abdomen and pelvis.
- Experiencing changes in your eating habits, getting full early and losing your appetite. You may experience bloating and belching, sometimes even stomach pain.
- Having abnormal bleeding or vaginal discharge and, more often, changes in your bowels, such as diarrhea and constipation.
- Feeling any unusual lumps or finding increase in the size of your abdomen.
- Having urinary frequency or urinary urgency.
Diagnosing Metastatic Breast Cancer
Getting a clear picture of where breast cancer has spread is essential for creating a personalized treatment plan. Your care team will likely use a combination of the following tests and tools to diagnose both localized and advanced breast cancer:
Ultrasound exam: With this imaging technique, sound waves create a picture of internal areas of the body.
Magnetic resonance imaging : This procedure produces detailed images using magnetic fields and radio waves.
Blood chemistry studies: A blood sample is taken to measure the amounts of certain substances that are released by your organs and tissues. A higher or lower amount of a particular substance may be a sign of disease.
Breast biopsy: A biopsy is the removal of cells or tissues so a pathologist may view them through a microscope. Your original breast cancer diagnosis was likely confirmed with a biopsy.
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Who Is At Risk For Ovarian Cancer
- Age: Risk increases for women over age 50, but most cases are diagnosed at age 65 or above.
- Obesity: Increases lifetime risk for ovarian cancer by about 2%.
- Use of talcum powder in the genital area: Increases lifetime risk by about 0.5%.
- Endometriosis: Causes cell changes throughout the reproductive organs and slightly increases the risk for ovarian cancer.
- Hormone replacement therapy: 5 years of HRT results in 1 additional per 1,000 HRT users.
- Smoking: Increases the risk of ovarian cancer by approximately 3%.
- Diabetes: Increases your risk of developing ovarian cancer by 20%-25%.
Side Effects Of Chemotherapy And How To Deal With Them
Story submitted by Sue Weber, RN, MEd, OCN, TriHealth Cancer Institute
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Chemotherapy affects any fast-growing cells in the body, like the ones that line your mouth and intestines, as well as the cells that make up your bone marrow and hair follicles, With chemo, normal, healthy cells should bounce back and, ideally, the cancer cells dont. Chemo may be used to:
- Cure the cancer
- Prevent the cancer from spreading
- Relieve symptoms the cancer may be causing
Sue Weber, RN, MEd, OCN, of the TriHealth Cancer Institute, explains common side effects of chemo and ways to deal with each.
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When To Seek Medical Help
Most abdominal pain and breast tenderness symptoms will subside after a menstrual period or with time. However, you should see a doctor if your symptoms last consistently for two weeks or if your abdominal pain increases or affects your ability to eat and drink. It is important to seek medical attention immediately if these symptoms are accompanied by fever.
Make an appointment to see your physician if you also have the following symptoms:
- menstrual cramps that disrupt your life for multiple days
- bloody or brown discharge from your nipple
- changing lumps in your breast tissue
- inability to sleep or perform daily tasks due to your symptoms
- loss of control over bladder or bowel movements
- one-sided lumps in your breast tissue
- positive home pregnancy test
Your physician may recommend tests, such as a mammogram or ultrasound, to evaluate abnormalities in breast tissue.
This information is a summary. Seek medical attention if you suspect you need urgent care.
Recent Onset Of Abdominal Pain In A Patient With Advanced Breast Cancer
- AffiliationsPalliative Care Program, Grey Nuns Community Hospital & Health Center, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Symptom Control and Palliative Care, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- AffiliationsPalliative Care Program, Grey Nuns Community Hospital & Health Center, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Symptom Control and Palliative Care, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- AffiliationsPalliative Care Program, Grey Nuns Community Hospital & Health Center, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Symptom Control and Palliative Care, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Eduardo BrueraCorrespondenceAddress reprint requests to: Eduardo Bruera, MD, Department of Symptom Control and Palliative Care, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Room P12.2911, Houston, TX 77030 USAAffiliationsPalliative Care Program, Grey Nuns Community Hospital & Health Center, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Symptom Control and Palliative Care, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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When To See Your Healthcare Provider
It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider if you have breast pain from any cause. Even if it’s not due to cancer, many women find that breast pain decreases their quality of life. In one study, 15% of women experienced breast pain at some time in their life that interfered with work and family activities. Make sure to talk to your healthcare provider if you are experiencing any unusual discomfort.
Symptoms If Cancer Has Spread To The Bones
You may have any of these symptoms if your cancer has spread to the bones:
- an ache or pain in the affected bone
- breaks in the bones because they are weaker
- breathlessness, looking pale, bruising and bleeding due to low levels of blood cells – blood cells are made in the bone marrow and can be crowded out by the cancer cells
Sometimes when bones are damaged by advanced cancer, the bones release calcium into the blood. This is called hypercalcaemia and can cause various symptoms such as:
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How Might Pain Affect People With Cancer
Any type of pain, not just cancer pain, can affect all parts of a personâs life. Some days it may be better or worse than others.
If you have pain, you might not be able to do your job well or take part in other day-to-day activities. You may have trouble sleeping and eating. You might be irritable with the people you love. Its easy to get frustrated, sad, and even angry when youre in pain. Family and friends dont always understand how youre feeling, and you may feel very alone. This is not unusual, so itâs important to talk about your pain with your health care team so they can help.
What Is Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer, occurs when normal healthy cells are replaced by growing cancer cells within the stomach lining. The stomach is located directly below the esophagus, the tube that food moves through to get to the intestines after swallowing. The stomach is one part of the digestive tract that digests food and moves nutrients through the gut to the small intestine.
Since this type of cancer is typically slow-growing, it can take years to develop. Stomach cancer often starts when cells that were once healthy begin growing out of control in the mucosa of the stomach lining. This collection of cancerous cells is known as a tumor, and over time these cells spread into other layers of the stomach.
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How Breast Cancer Pain May Feel
While many types of breast pain are not cancerous, pain in only one breast may be cause for calling your doctor. Benign breast pain is often on both sides.
Breast cancer pain can be persistent and very specific, usually hurting in just one spot. It is important to remember that breast cancer can be present in your breast before it causes pain. If you have other symptoms of breast cancer, such as nipple retraction , sudden swelling of your breast, or sudden skin changes, consult your healthcare provider for a clinical breast exam.
Where Can Breast Cancer Spread
The most common places for breast cancer to spread to are the lymph nodes, bone, liver, lungs and brain. The symptoms you may experience will depend on where in the body the cancer has spread to. You might not have all of the symptoms mentioned here.
Remember other conditions can cause these symptoms. They don’t necessarily mean that you have cancer that has spread. But if you have symptoms that you are worried about, discuss them with your GP, cancer specialist, or breast care nurse so that you can be checked.
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Cancer Symptoms Women Shouldnt Ignore
The warning signs of gynecologic cancers can be vague and similar tothose of other conditions. Thatâs why its important to know what tolook for.
Cancer may not be on your radar, especially if youre relatively young and healthy. But it should be, regardless of your age or family history.
Each year, nearly 90,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer, such as endometrial , ovarian cancer or cervical cancer. More than 242,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer.
Most of these cancers occur in women after menopause. But gynecologic cancers can strike women before menopause, too.
âYour risk for all cancer types rises as you age, but its important to know what to look for at any age,â says Therese Bevers, M.D., medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center. âThat way, if symptoms appear, you can tell your doctor right away.â
The signs of cancer, particularly gynecologic cancers, can be vague and similar to those of other conditions. Only breast and cervical cancers can be detected through screening. So recognizing these symptoms and talking about them with your gynecologist or primary care doctor can increase your odds of finding cancer early, when its most treatable.
Here are 10 cancer symptoms that every woman should be on the lookout for.
3. Vaginal discharge colored with blood. Bloody, dark or smelly discharge is usually a sign of infection. But sometimes, its a warning sign of cervical, vaginal or endometrial cancer.
Swelling In Or Around Your Breast Collarbone Or Armpit
Swelling in these areas can occur for many reasons but may indicate cancer. Breast swelling can be caused by certain types of breast cancer. Swelling or lumps around your collarbone or armpits can be caused by breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes in those areas. The swelling can occur even before you can feel a lump in your breast. If you have swelling, be sure to let your health care team know as soon as possible.
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What Is Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastasis is the process by which cancer cells spread. In the case of metastatic breast cancer, the cancer originated in breast tissue, then spread to other parts of the body.
Metastatic cancer is further described as local, regional or distant, depending on the location of the cancer cells in relation to the original tumor.
- Localized metastatic breast cancer often means the breast cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
- The more distant locations include the bones, lungs, skin, liver and brain, although its possible for other parts of the body to be affected.
Its important to remember that every cancer is unique and that your experience may not necessarily be the same as that of another breast cancer patient. With a personalized treatment plan, metastatic breast cancer is typically treatable. A recent National Cancer Institute study found that the number of U.S. women living longer with distant metastatic breast cancer is growing, thanks to advances in treatments.
Its also important to prepare yourself with information about the disease, its symptoms and how its detected and treated.
This article will cover:
Sickness In Advanced Cancer
Some people in the advanced stages of cancer may feel or be sick a lot. This type of sickness is very different to that of people having chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
It can severely affect your day to day life and make you very tired and depressed.
People with advanced cancer can feel and be sick for different reasons. These include:
- the cancer itself
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Can Ovarian Cancer Be Prevented
The majority of women have at least one risk factor or two for ovarian cancer. These common factors generally only slightly increase your risk. Risk factors havent helped prevent most cancer cases as of now. There are some ways you can reduce your risk for epithelial ovarian cancer. There is little known about lowering the risk of stromal tumors or germ cell problems in the ovaries. The following discussion is of epithelial ovarian cancer, specifically.
Some strategies may only provide a minor reduction, while others are more helpful. Some may be easy to try, while others involve surgery. If you are worried about ovarian cancer, you should speak with your doctor, so they can help you develop a plan.
Oral Contraceptives
Taking birth control pills, or oral contraceptives can lower the risk of ovarian cancer, particularly for those who use them for several years. Those who used birth control pills for five or more years saw as much as a fifty percent decrease in risk of ovarian cancer compared to those who didnt take the pill for so long. Its important to think about the side effects and risk of birth control pills if youre considering using them. It should be discussed with your doctor to see if it is right for you.
Gynecologic Surgery
A hysterectomy or even tubal ligation can risk your chance of ovarian cancer. Generally, doctors agree these procedures should be reserved for medical reasons other than prevention of cancer.
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How Can You Treat Stomach Cancer
The treatments for stomach cancer vary depending on the type of cancer you have, its location in the body, if it is advanced and your personalized care plan. At The University of Kansas Cancer Center, we offer clinical trials that may provide new treatment options for stomach cancer.
Possible options include:
- Radiation: High-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells, typically done using a machine outside the body.
- Chemotherapy: Using one or more drugs to destroy cancer cells by preventing cancer cell growth.
- Surgery: GI surgery is typically a minimally invasive procedure. The surgeon removes the tumor, as well as some surrounding healthy tissue to determine the extent of disease.
- Targeted therapy: Treatment that targets the genes, proteins or tissue that supports the cancerous cell growth and survival. Targeted therapy blocks the growth and spread of cancer cells and minimizes damage to healthy cells.
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