By Faby Myra

Raise awareness of ovarian cancer

Did you know Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women?

A woman's risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 78. Her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer is about 1 in 108.

3 types of ovarian cancer:

Epithelial ovarian cancer, Stromal tumors, and Germ cell tumors.

Epithelial is the most common and while stromal and germ cells are rare, they occur at a younger age. The most common treatment is chemotherapy and surgery.

How to detect ovarian cancer early

Only about 20% of ovarian cancers are found at an early stage. When ovarian cancer is found early, about 94% of patients live longer than 5 years after diagnosis. A women's regular health exam can help detect ovarian cancer. The doctor should feel the area for anything abnormal in terms of shape and size. A pap smear can help detect ovarian cancer, but only at its advanced stage.

Symptoms include:

Pelvic or abdominal pain or cramping
Feeling full quickly after starting to eat or lack of appetite
Indigestion or upset stomach
Nausea
Feeling like you have to urinate more frequently or urgently than normal
Unexplained exhaustion
Bloating and/or constipation
Increase abdominal girth or abdominal swelling
Pain while having sex
Unexplained pain while having sexual intercourse can be a warning symptom of ovarian cancer.
Weight loss
Difficulty breathing

Note: don’t forget to talk to your doctor if you’ve any concerns.

***Some services that can help with ovarian cancer include but are not limited to: Transitions of care, chronic disease management, and companionship care.