Six Questions to help you find Ovarian Cancer early

A few simple questions may help women identify the early, often quiet, symptoms of ovarian cancer.

While ovarian cancer is typically detected in its late stages, when it is least curable, there are some early warning signs. However, more than 20 symptoms have been linked with early ovarian cancer, including fatigue, back pain, constipation, urinary frequency and urgency, and many others. These symptoms are so common and vague that many women and doctors often dismiss them as unimportant.

Researchers are beginning to narrow down the list, identifying the symptoms that seem to matter the most. This week, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center showed that just six key symptoms, coupled with a blood test, helped improve the early detection of ovarian cancer by 20 percent, according to findings published online in the journal Cancer.Have you experienced any of the following symptoms?

• Pelvic pain
• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Increased abdominal size
• Difficulty eating
• Feeling full quickly

If you’ve had years of pelvic pain, bloating or any of the other symptoms, chances are they are signs of other health problems. But if you’ve noticed these changes in the past 12 months, talk to your doctor about your concerns. He or she may suggest a CA-125 blood test and a transvaginal ultrasound to rule out ovarian cancer.

The six-symptom list identifys 50 percent of those women with early-stage ovarian cancer who did not have a positive CA-125 blood test result.

If a woman has these symptoms and they are new to her and frequent, that would be a very good time to request the blood test and ultrasound in order to rule out ovarian cancer as a possible source of these symptoms!