It’s Australia’s first Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and the medical experts have a very simple, yet very strong message for us: “Know the symptoms of ovarian cancer!”
There is currently no screening test to detect this disease, so becoming aware of these signs, and knowing our own bodies, can save our lives.
This year in Australia, about 1300 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. And astonishing figures from a new study show that most women (83 percent) experience at least one symptom of ovarian cancer in the year prior to their diagnosis.
The study by National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC) in collaboration with the Queensland Institute of Medical Research also revealed 17 percent of women waited more than three months after the onset of their symptoms before visiting their doctor, with 8 percent waiting more than six months.
“The most common reason for the delay was an assumption that the symptoms were not serious,” says Dr Helen Zorbas, CEO of NBOCC.
The most common signs, experienced by half of the study participants, were abdominal fullness and pain. Bloating and bowel or urinary symptoms were reported by approximately one third of participants.
“We know many women will experience these symptoms as part of everyday life,” says Dr Zorbas. “But if any of these are unusual for you and they persist, it is important to see your doctor. No-one knows your body like you do.”
abdominal bloating;
abdominal or back pain;
appetite loss or feeling full;
changes in bowel or bladder habits;
unexplained weight gain or loss;
indigestion or heart burn; and
fatigue.
Ovarian cancer is the ninth most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women and the sixth most common cause of cancer death in Australia women. It is Australia’s biggest gynaecological cancer killer. In 2005, a total of 888 women died from ovarian cancer in Australia.
One in 77 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer before they reach the age of 85.
Increasing age is a well-established risk factor for ovarian cancer, with approximately 80 percent of cases occurring in women aged 50 years and over.
February 2009 is Australia’s first Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. To find out more, visit www.nbocc.org.au.
