Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the ovaries, the female reproductive organs that produce eggs and hormones. It is often called the silent killer because it can be hard to detect in its early stages when it is most treatable. This is because many of the early symptoms of ovarian cancer are often very similar to the symptoms of other conditions. It is estimated that four out of five patients with ovarian cancer are not diagnosed in the early stages.
Still, it’s vital to know the warning signs and early symptoms of ovarian cancer and to see your doctor if you notice anything unusual or persistent. In this video, we will share with you 10 silent symptoms of ovarian cancer that you should not ignore. These symptoms are not specific to ovarian cancer, and many other conditions can cause them. However, they may indicate something is wrong with your ovaries or other parts of your reproductive system.
Remember, early detection can save lives, so don’t hesitate to seek medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms.
1. Abdominal Bloating, Fullness, or Pressure
This is one of the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer, and it can occur at any stage of the disease. It happens when fluid builds up in the abdomen due to changes in blood supply and drainage. Bloating can make you feel like you are pregnant or make your clothes feel tight around your waist. It can also make you feel full after eating very little or cause loss of appetite. This fluid buildup is dangerous, as cancer cells can move through it to other body parts.
2. Fatigue or Tiredness
Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or lack of energy that is significant or even extreme. It is different from normal tiredness because it does not go away after resting or sleeping. You may also have trouble concentrating, remembering things, or doing your daily tasks. But why does ovarian cancer cause tiredness and fatigue? Well, the answer is simple: the cancer cells are very greedy. They use up a lot of your body’s resources such as oxygen, nutrients, and hormones. They also produce waste products that can make you feel sick. This means that your normal cells have less fuel to function properly, and your immune system has to work harder to fight the cancer. Cancer cells also produce toxic substances that interfere with the normal functioning of healthy cells, such as potassium or calcium. These substances can affect your muscles, nerves, and organs, causing fatigue.
3. Increase the Frequency of Urination
Ovarian cancer can make you feel like you need to pee more often than usual or urgently it can also cause pain or burning when you urinate or blood in your urine this symptom can happen when ovarian tumors press on the bladder or ureters causing irritation or obstruction.
4. Pelvic Pain or Discomfort
This symptom can also occur at any stage of ovarian cancer, and it can vary in intensity and location. Some people describe it as a feeling of pressure, cramping, squeezing, or gripping in the lower abdomen or pelvis. Others say it feels like menstrual pain or an adult ache. Pelvic pain here can be caused by tumors growing in the ovaries or nearby organs, inflammation, or infection.
5. Menstrual Irregularities
one of the possible symptoms of ovarian cancer is menstrual irregularities such as having periods that are closer together heavier or longer than usual you might also experience bleeding or spotting between periods after sex or after menopause these changes can happen because ovarian cancer can affect the production of hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle such as estrogen and progesterone ovarian cancer can also cause inflammation or pressure in the pelvic area which can interfere with the normal functioning of the uterus and other organs
6. Constipation or Diarrhea
This symptom can happen when ovarian tumors press on the intestines or colon, causing changes in bowel habits. It can make you have difficulty passing stools or make them hard or dry. It can also cause loose stools, cramps, gas, or indigestion.
7. Back Pain
Ovarian cancer can cause back pain by putting pressure on the nerves and muscles in the lower back. This can happen when the cancer grows large enough to push against the spine or when it causes fluid to build up in the abdomen. It can make you feel pain or stiffness in your lower back, hips, or legs. Another way ovarian cancer can cause back pain is by affecting the bones themselves. This is when cancer cells travel through the bloodstream and settle in the bones, causing pain, fractures, or spinal cord compression.
8. Swelling of Legs
Now you might be wondering, what does ovarian cancer have to do with leg swelling? Well, sometimes ovarian tumors block the flow of blood or lymph fluid in the lower body. It can make your legs swell up, feel heavy, or painful.
9. Shortness of Breath
This symptom can happen when ovarian tumors spread to the lungs or pleura, which is the lining of the chest cavity. This can make you feel breathless, wheezy, or coughing.
10. Bleeding from the Vagina
This symptom can happen when ovarian tumors erode the lining of the uterus, cervix, or vagina. It can make you bleed from your vagina after sex, after menopause, or at any time during your cycle.
So these are some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer that you should be aware of and monitor closely. If you have any of these symptoms for more than two weeks, please see your doctor as soon as possible for a checkup and diagnosis. There is no single test that can detect ovarian cancer, so your doctor will use several tests. One of these tests is a pelvic exam, where the doctor feels your ovaries and other organs for any lumps or swelling. They also look at your vagina and cervix for any signs of cancer.
Another test is an ultrasound, which uses sound waves to make a picture of your ovaries on the screen. This can show if there is a tumor or a cyst in your ovaries and how big and what shape it is. Sometimes the doctor might also do a blood test to check for certain proteins or genes that are linked to ovarian cancer. For example, CA 125 is a protein that is often higher in women with ovarian cancer.
As for the treatment of ovarian cancer, it will depend on many factors such as the stage of the cancer, the type of the cancer, your age, your overall health, and your personal preferences. But in general, there are two main types of treatment for ovarian cancer: surgery and chemotherapy. Surgery is when they cut out the cancer from your ovaries or other parts of your body where it has spread. Sometimes they only remove one ovary if the cancer is just in one place; that way, you might still be able to have kids in the future. Other times they have to remove both ovaries and the uterus along with some lymph nodes and fatty tissue; that’s usually when the cancer is more advanced or if you don’t want to have kids anymore. Chemotherapy is when they give you drugs that kill the cancer cells. You can get them through a needle in your vein or by mouth. Chemotherapy is often used after surgery to get rid of any leftover cancer cells. It can also be used before surgery to shrink the tumor. In some cases, they heat the drugs and put them in your belly during surgery; then they leave them there for a while before draining them out. This is called hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Other than these two treatments, some women may benefit from other treatments like targeted therapy, hormone therapy, or immunotherapy, but those depend on your specific situation.
If you have any of these symptoms, don’t ignore them or hope they will go away. Other conditions could cause them, but they could also be signs of ovarian cancer. The sooner you get checked, the better your chances of survival and recovery are.
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