Knowing the Early Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

September marks the start of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) is urging women to become more aware of the early risk signs, symptoms, and treatment options of ovarian cancer.

In the United States, more than 22,000 women are diagnosed annually, and over 14,000 deaths are reported from the disease each year. With early treatment and knowledge of the warning signs, the five-year survival rate will be more than 90%.

Ovarian cancer signs can be vague or silent, and there is not a reliable way available to screen for it. As a result, only 15% of women are currently being diagnosed in the early stages of the disease.

Some of the most common warning signs of Ovarian cancer include: pelvic or abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss/gain, shortness of breath, urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency), bloating, and pain during intimacy.

Melissa Aucoin, CEO of National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, wants to remind women that “Ovarian cancer can affect women at any stage of life. We want to encourage and empower all women to listen to their bodies. By raising awareness about ovarian cancer, we can all work together to improve outcomes and the quality of life for survivors.”

For more information regarding this topic, visitwww.ovarian.org.

Reference

The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition Urges All Women to Learn Early Signs & Symptoms [news release]. Dallas, TX; September 3, 2019: BusinessWire website.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190903005784/en. Accessed September 5, 2019.