Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer: How to Act and Preserve Fertility

Many women start with certain pain and do not give importance, but there is symptoms that indicate the presence of ovarian cancer, how to act? Ovarian cancer is usually called the ‘silent killer’ precisely because its symptoms are confused with those of other pathologies, which results in valuable time being lost to provide timely treatment.

Here we will tell you how to differentiate ovarian cancer from nervous colitis, for example, which is the one with which this condition is most often confused. We will also address a very important topic: female fertility after cancer, is it easy to conceive? How can it be preserved? You will find all the answers to these questions and more here.

Ovarian cancer is a disease that affects women and whose symptoms are often confused with other pathologies, in fact, that’s why it’s called the ‘silent killer’, since the signs are usually very subtle and difficult to detect in the early stages. That is why for the treatment to be successful, you must be very attentive to these symptoms that may be associated with ovarian cancer:

1. Acute abdominal or pelvic pain. The pain persists in the lower abdomen or pelvis and increases with time.
2. Bloating or severe abdominal distension. Women with ovarian cancer often have a feeling of swelling in the abdomen that does not go away.
3. Changes in bowel habits. For example, ovarian cancer can cause alternating episodes of constipation, diarrhea, or other changes.
4. Loss of appetite occurs or there is a feeling of rapid satiety. Affected women almost always notice a decrease in their appetite or feel full quickly when eating.
5. Changes in urinary frequency. Another sign of ovarian cancer is that women experience the need to urinate more frequently or feel a sudden urge to urinate.
6. Excessive and persistent fatigue. Extreme tiredness is another of the symptoms to watch for ovarian cancer.
7. Unexplained weight loss or gain. There are two extremes here, either you experience weight loss or weight gain, but both drastically and for no apparent reason.
8. Shooting pain during sexual intercourse. Ovarian cancer can usually cause some discomfort or severe, throbbing pain during sexual intercourse.
9. Irregular periods. Women with ovarian cancer may have quite irregular menstrual periods or have abnormal vaginal bleeding.

However, it must also be said that many of these symptoms may be related to less serious conditions. What is constant in ovarian cancer is that these symptoms appear persistently and worsen over time, so it is vital to see a specialist as soon as possible, since early detection and appropriate treatment improve the chances of survival.

Obtain a Diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer on time are essential to increase the chances to fight the disease, so going to the specialist when suspected of this condition is essential. He will rule out other possible diseases before confirming that it is ovarian cancer, but for this he needs certain tests.

How is the diagnosis of ovarian cancer obtained?

First, the medical history and physical examination are done, in which the doctor will analyze the symptoms, medical and family history, in addition to performing a physical exam, which includes a pelvic exam. Subsequently, imaging tests are requested, which include ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MR), in which the ovaries and organs are examined for tumors.

Next, a CA-125 blood test can help detect proteins usually associated with ovarian cancer, although it is not very specific and can be elevated in other conditions, not necessarily in cancer. Finally, a biopsy is considered, especially if the presence of cancer is suspected; With a biopsy, a sample of tissue is removed and tested for cancer cells.

Treatment to follow to combat ovarian cancer

Surgery is almost always the main treatment for ovarian cancer. This may include removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and nearby lymph nodes. Later he opted for chemotherapy, a treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be given either before or after surgery.

Targeted therapies are also used, since these treatments target specific features of cancer cells, such as gene mutations, to block the growth and spread of cancer. Perhaps PARP inhibitors and antiangiogenic therapies can be used. Immunotherapy is also an option, because it uses drugs to stimulate the body’s immune system.

Certainly the latter is still a bit young in the field of treatments, because its use in ovarian cancer is still limited, but new immunotherapy approaches are being investigated. It is important to emphasize that the treatment of ovarian cancer always depends on the type, stage and extent of the disease, as well as the general health and preferences of the patient.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women. The seriousness of this type of cancer is that it is often detected in very advanced stages, unfortunately due to the lack of specific symptoms in its early stages, in addition to the absence of effective screening tests.

If not detected early, ovarian cancer it spreads to nearby organs such as the uterus, fallopian tubes, intestines and the peritoneum (membrane that lines the abdominal cavity). In advanced stages, cancer cells spread through the lymphatic system and bloodstream, reaching the liver and lungs. This is known as metastasis.

There are certain consequences of not detecting ovarian cancer in time, for example, a lower survival rate. In general, the five-year rate for early-stage ovarian cancer is 90 percent, but drops to 30 percent when diagnosed in advanced stages. For this reason, more aggressive treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy must be used, both of which are more invasive and have significant side effects.

Similarly, quality of life is reduced because those with advanced ovarian cancer experience debilitating symptoms, such as pain, abdominal swelling, shortness of breath and fatigue, in addition to an emotional affectation, because the late diagnosis of ovarian cancer has a significant emotional impact on patients and also their families due to fear, anxiety and uncertainty.

Fertility of women after ovarian cancer it can be affected by several factors, including the type of treatment received, the extent of the disease and the age of the patient. That is why the preservation of fertility is one of the main concerns for women of reproductive age diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

It is known that surgery, the main treatment against this type of cancer, It may include removal of one or both ovaries, the fallopian tubes, and the uterus. However, if only one ovary is removed, the woman can still become pregnant naturally, albeit with reduced ovarian reserve. But if both ovaries are removed, the woman will enter surgical menopause.

Equally chemotherapy can damage the ovaries and reduce the quantity and quality of eggs available, and the same is true of radiation therapy to the pelvic region, because it can affect ovarian and uterine function. Given this scenario, what options does a woman have to get pregnant after overcoming ovarian cancer? Some are:

• Egg cryopreservation. It involves the extraction and freezing of eggs before treatment, which allows them to be used later in assisted fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
• Ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Ovarian tissue is removed and frozen when the woman cannot undergo the ovarian stimulation necessary for egg cryopreservation.
• Assisted fertility treatments. Ultimately, women who cannot conceive naturally may resort to in vitro fertilization, intrauterine insemination, and the use of donated eggs or embryos.

However, the possibility of preserving fertility and achieving a pregnancy after ovarian cancer varies from case to case. Only fertility specialists can discuss options and provide adequate support to women in this process of fighting against ovarian cancer.

You can read more articles similar to Symptoms that indicate the presence of ovarian cancer – How to act?in the Cancer category at Guiainfantil.com.