Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in Ireland and each year around 400 people here are diagnosed with it.
It is often labelled a "silent killer" because warning signs usually only develop when the disease has reached an advanced stage.
When cancer occurs, the cells in the ovary change to form a tumour. Because the ovaries are deep in the pelvis the tumour, it may cause very few symptoms in the early stages. As the tumour gets bigger it may affect tissues and organs nearby such as your bladder or bowel. When this happens the tumour may upset the way these tissues and organs normally work. This in turn can lead to symptoms.
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When the tumour is malignant, cells may break away from it and spread to other parts of the body.
According to the HSE, ovarian cancer mainly affects women who have been through menopause and are over the age of 50, but can sometimes affect younger people.
Feeling bloated and having a swollen tummy are among the common warning signs of ovarian cancer, but there are a number of other red flags that could signal the disease.
Symptoms
The HSE says the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are:
- Feeling constantly bloated
- A swollen tummy
- Discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area
- Feeling full quickly when eating, or loss of appetite
- Needing to pee more often or more urgently than usual
Other symptoms of ovarian cancer can include:
- Persistent indigestion or feeling sick
- Pain during sex
- A change in your bowel habits, such as being constipated
- Back pain
- Feeling tired all the time
- Unintentional weight loss
All these symptoms can be caused by conditions other than cancer, but it’s important to go to the GP and get any unusual changes checked out.
The HSE says women should talk to their GP if they've been feeling bloated, particularly more than 12 times a month; have other symptoms of ovarian cancer that will not go away or have a family history of ovarian cancer.
Causes
The exact cause of ovarian cancer is unknown. However, the HSE says some things may increase a woman's risk of getting it, such as:
- being over the age of 50
- a family history of ovarian or breast cancer - this could mean you have inherited genes that increase your cancer risk
- hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - but any increase in cancer risk is likely to be very small
- endometriosis - a condition where tissue, like the lining of the womb, starts to grow in other places
- being overweight
- smoking
- lack of exercise
- exposure to asbestos
Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get ovarian cancer. Anyone who feels they may be at risk should talk to a GP.
Screening
Testing for ovarian cancer when you have no symptoms is called screening. There is no national ovarian screening programme in Ireland at present. This is because so far no one test has been definitely proven to find ovarian cancer at an early stage.
There is ongoing research to develop a screening test for ovarian cancer.
The 2 tests used most often to screen for ovarian cance rare a transvaginal ultrasound and the CA125 blood test.
Cervical screening tests (smear tests) do not pick up signs of ovarian cancer.
Outlook
The earlier ovarian cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the chance of a cure. But often it's not recognised until it's already spread and a cure may not be possible.
Even after successful treatment, the cancer may come back within the next few years. If it does come back, it usually cannot be cured.
Chemotherapy may help reduce the symptoms. It can keep the cancer under control for several months or years.
Around one in three with ovarian cancer will live for at least 10 years after diagnosis.
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