0 
0 Gynecology is the branch of medicine that specializes in the female reproductive system. Gynecologists like Dr. Rachel Oliver offer a wide range of healthcare services to women, including annual exams, birth control options, and procedures such as hysterectomies. Preventative care can help you stay healthy and catch any issues early on so they don’t become more serious problems down the road.
What Are The Signs Of Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer symptoms can be vague and easily mistaken for other conditions. The following are the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer:
- Bloating
- Pelvic pain, back pain, or abdominal distension (swelling)
- Loss of appetite and/or weight loss
- Fatigue
What Is The Life Expectancy For A Person With Ovarian Cancer?
As with any cancer, the prognosis for ovarian cancer depends on the stage of your disease. The earlier it’s diagnosed, the better your chances of survival. Still, even with early-stage disease and treatment, some women will die of their cancers within five years of diagnosis.
As noted above, survival rates are generally better for women with localized (stage 1) ovarian cancer than they are for those with advanced or metastatic disease (stages 3 or 4).
How Can You Reduce Your Risk Of Developing Ovarian Cancer?
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Avoid being overweight or obese, which can increase your risk of developing ovarian cancer by up to 30%.
If you are overweight or obese, losing as little as 10 pounds can lower your risk of developing ovarian cancer by 20%.
Don’t smoke cigarettes and avoid secondhand smoke (also known as environmental tobacco smoke). Smoking can increase the risk of developing all types of cancers, including ovarian cancer, as well as increase mortality due to many causes including heart disease and stroke.
Smoking has been linked with an increased risk for all types of cancers combined–including breast cancer in women who have never used hormone therapy; colorectal cancer in men; pancreatic cancer; esophageal adenocarcinoma; gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (stomach); liver/gallbladder cholangiocarcinomas (liver); bile duct pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma and small cell lung tumors (lungs).
What Is The Screening Schedule For Ovarian Cancer?
- For women who are at average risk,it is recommended that screening for ovarian cancer begin at age 40.
- For women who have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, screening may be started earlier than age 40.
Early Detection And Treatment Are Key In Fighting Ovarian Cancer
For Dr. Rachel Oliver, early detection and treatment are key in fighting ovarian cancer. It’s estimated that more than 20,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year, and more than 14,000 will die from it. Early detection can help save lives by identifying the disease early enough for doctors to intervene before it spreads beyond the ovaries.
Early detection screenings include:
- Physical examination of your pelvic area by your healthcare provider (your doctor or nurse)
- Pelvic ultrasound – an imaging test that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of structures inside your body on a computer screen
- CA-125 blood test – a blood test used to help diagnose ovarian cancer or monitor its progress
