Ovarian cancer is a stealthy killer, creeping up without warning and murdering thousands of women every year.
So creepy is this monster that there’s still no way to effectively screen for its presence. The Pap smear does not screen for this disease.
Usually this malignant illness lets its presence be known only after it has spread beyond the ovaries—making prognosis grim.
The symptoms can very closely resemble those of benign conditions, which is why this ruthless disease is one of the most misdiagnosed out there.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague as opposed to pronounced, severe or dramatic.
However, they tend to be persistent. And that’s a red flag.
The most suspicious signs that may mean ovarian cancer are “persistent lower abdominal pain with abdominal swelling and fluid accumulation in the lower abdomen/legs,” says Mark Levandovsky, MD, Founder and Medical Director of Preventive Medicine and Cancer Care.
Dr. Levandovsky is a board certified internist and oncologist/hematologist in practice for 20+ years.
The fluid accumulation is called ascites (uh-sight-eze). The presence of this fluid usually causes appetite suppression.
Misdiagnosis
One of the conditions that OC can be mistaken for is irritable bowel syndrome. This has happend quite a few times, especially in younger women.
Ovarian cancer is one of the most evil terrorists out there — why isn’t there yet an effective treatment?
What are world leaders doing about this killer that can even strike women in their 20s?
You’ll likely find your questions answered in one of the articles below…
All About Symptoms
- Symptom comparison of ovarian cancer pelvic pain to IBS
- Q & A with doctor about ovarian cancer’s symptoms
- How the symptoms of colon cancer compare to that of ovarian cancer
- Why does loss of appetite come with ovarian cancer?
Risk Factors for this Deadly Disease
Ovarian cancer’s known risk factors are as follows: Age over 55; family history; BRC1 and BRC2 mutations; previous breast, colon or uterine cancer; and zero pregnancies.
Studies show that women who’ve never been pregnant (nulliparity) have about a 24% higher risk when compared to women who’ve had at least one child.
This is due to the “incessant ovulation theory” which suggests that repeated ovulation without interruption from pregnancy contributes to cancer development.
