Five things you need to know about the cancer any woman can do

Ovarian cancer is a serious illness, but it is often hidden, with no specific symptoms at an early stage, which makes early diagnosis very difficult.

Every year around 238,719 new cases - the incidence of 6.1 per 100,000 inhabitants - are diagnosed and 151.905 deaths from ovarian cancer are diagnosed - with a mortality rate of 3.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

There are 1,850 new cases of ovarian cancer reported annually - the incidence of this disease in our country is 10.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants - with 1,020 deaths from ovarian cancer. Ovarian neoplasia is the 5th most common cancer localization in women.

1: All women can ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is diagnosed annually in about a quarter of a million women worldwide. Unlike other forms of cancer, this disease affects women both in developed and developing countries. It is important to know the symptoms, risk factors and family history from both the mother and the father.

2: Knowing the early signs of the disease can save lives

Experts believe that the frequency and combined occurrence of certain symptoms may be early signs of ovarian cancer. If a woman frequently experiences one or more of the symptoms below, it is very important to get in touch with a doctor:

• Abdominal or pelvic pain
• Changes in intestinal transit (diarrhea or constipation)
• Urinary changes
• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Weight loss
• Fatigue, asthenia

Since this symptomatology may be specific to other diseases, it is better to go to the doctor.

3: Early diagnosis significantly improves survival chances

When ovarian cancer is discovered in the incipient phase when it is only in the ovary, 90% of the women survive at 5 years (the time period during which survival is normally assessed when assessing oncology treatment). A woman who has symptoms suggestive of ovarian cancer should contact the doctor as soon as possible to get a correct diagnosis. 
4: Ovarian cancer is diagnosed most of the time in late stages

Ovarian cancer is diagnosed most often when the disease is advanced. This is also due to the fact that women believe that symptoms are due to menstruation, menopause, eating or confuse them with trivial stomach or digestive problems. Moreover, physicians may sometimes initially diagnose a similar condition, but the frequency of these symptoms helps them differentiate between ovarian cancer and other diseases.

5: Many women believe that Babeş - Papanicolau test can detect ovarian cancer

Babeş - Papanicolau does not diagnose ovarian cancer but only detects pre-cancerous cervical changes unrelated to a potential ovarian cancer.