How to Stay Proactive Against Ovarian Cancer
How familiar are you with ovarian cancer? While it’s a relatively less common type of cancer, accounting for 2.5% of cancers that impact women, it sadly kills more people than the other four gynecological cancers combined (uterine, cervical, vaginal, and vulval). As we age, our risk of ovarian cancer increases — and it’s most common for women to develop ovarian cancer after they’ve gone through menopause.
While it’s not common for women under 40 to develop ovarian cancer, it is possible, and it’s important that we are aware of the risk factors, symptoms, and screenings available to stay proactive in the fight against ovarian cancer.
Increasing awareness and recognizing symptoms of ovarian cancer
If a woman’s ovarian cancer is diagnosed at stage 1 she has a 90% chance of surviving for five years or more. However, only 33% of women are diagnosed at this stage. By stage 4 survival rate is as low as 4%. So how do we help fix this? Earlier detection and diagnosis. You can make a difference by increasing your own awareness of risk factors, how to reduce your risk, and common symptoms to look out for.
We can all play a really powerful role in better understanding ovarian cancer to help save the lives of our friends, sisters, mothers, daughters, and ourselves.
Factors that can increase your risk of ovarian cancer
Age: Increasing age is a significant risk factor. Over half of all ovarian cancer cases occur in women over the age of 63.
Family history of ovarian cancer: Family history is often a risk factor for the occurrence of cancer. If you have close female family members who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or other BRCA related cancers, it does put you at a higher risk
Hormonal therapies: Current research does suggest a slightly higher increase in the risk of developing ovarian cancer while on HRT or some infertility treatment medication. It’s believed that this is due to prolonged estrogen exposure, increasing the risk of proliferation of ovarian tissues.
Early or late menopause: Entering into menopause early (before the age of 45) or entering into menopause late (after the age of 55) both appear to be linked to a higher risk of gynecological and breast cancers.
Factors that can decrease your risk of ovarian cancer
Maintain a healthy weight: being overweight or obese is linked to a higher risk of ovarian cancer, and healthy weight maintenance can decrease your risk.
Taking oral contraceptives: Oral contraceptives come with their own risk factors, but they can lower your estrogen exposure if taken over an extended time (research suggests at least 5 years). Depending on your risk factors, it may be worth talking to your doctor to see if this might be a beneficial approach for you.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: These are also times in a woman’s life when estrogen is exposure is reduced. Studies show that women who have been pregnant have a significantly lower risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to women who never become pregnant. This risk is thought to be further decreased if they breastfeed.
4 primary symptoms of ovarian cancer
Ovarian Cancer Action’s research presently shows that 90% of women do not know the main symptoms. Here are the four primary symptoms:
Persistent stomach pain
Persistent bloating
Difficulty eating/feeling full more quickly
Needing to urinate more frequently
Other symptoms might include back pain, changes in bowel habits (going more often or a lot less), and extreme tiredness for no obvious reason.
Now, these symptoms are also attributable to much less serious conditions such as IBS, ovarian cysts, and polycystic ovary syndrome — so if you are experiencing them — there is no need to worry right away.
Remember, it's all about awareness; being aware of how your body is feeling, listening to what it is telling you, and recognizing when things don't feel right. If any of the above symptoms are persistent, severe, frequent, or out of the ordinary it's best to call your doctor right away to make sure you are addressing whatever the situation is as soon as possible.
How to advocate for ovarian cancer testing
One of the biggest misconceptions about ovarian cancer is that it's screened and tested for during a routine cervical smear (or Pap smear). Unfortunately, that's not the case. At present, there is no specific screening tool for ovarian cancer — and that's where part of the problem lies.
If you are at a higher risk of ovarian cancer due to pre-existing factors or are experiencing any concerning symptoms related to it, it’s important that you know how to advocate for yourself at your doctor’s office. A pelvic exam is always a good place to start, but there are additional tests that can look into things further and help increase your chances of early-stage diagnosis if ovarian cancer is something you do develop.
Available tests to detect ovarian cancer
At the moment, there are 2 tests that are used the most often, in addition to a pelvic exam. These are:
Transvaginal Ultrasound (TVUS): this is a test that looks at the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries by putting an ultrasound wand into the vagina. It can help find masses, but cannot detect whether they are cancerous or not.
CA-125 Blood Test: This test will measure the amount of a protein in your blood called CA-125. Some women who have ovarian cancer have high levels of CA-125. This test can be a good indicator for doctors and can be used to see if treatments for ovarian cancer are successful, but it has not been found to be effective in screening for ovarian cancer.
We still have a long way to go when it comes to accurately testing and screening for ovarian cancer, but progress in that space will save the lives of hundreds of thousands of women. That’s why research is so important.
At the moment the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancers lag behind other high-profile diseases like prostate cancer or breast cancer. There are some amazing organizations and charities funding research in this space. We highly recommend checking out Ovarian Cancer Action’s annual research updates to learn more about the fight against ovarian cancer.
Have a question about ovarian cancer and the role your hormones play? Let us know in the comments. We’re here to help.
