Ovarian tumors are the fourth cause of cancer death among women nationwide. In the beginning, it usually does not cause alert symptoms and when they do appear, they are similar to those that can cause a less serious illness such as dyspepsia.
For all these reasons, it is important to know the symptoms of ovarian cancer, as well as to have periodic gynecological check-ups, as they help in its early detection.
We tell you at what age this oncological disease can develop and the signs that may remind you of a bad stomach.
At what age are most cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed?
most cases are detected between 55 and 65 years, which is the age group with the highest incidence. They are produced in Spain with over 3,200 diagnoses per year of this gynecological cancer.
There are many risk factors, including genetic predisposition, endometriosis, or late menopause. In this sense, Dr. Andrés Poveda Velasco, coordinator of oncology at the Hospital Quironsalud Valencia, explains that “pregnancy and breastfeeding reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.”
It should be added that, although it is not a very common type of cancer, it does usually aggressive it is diagnosed in advanced stages. The main reason for this may appear as a digestive problem-causing abdominal discomfort that is often confused with other more common and less serious illnesses.
Risk of confusing ovarian cancer with dyspepsia
this gynecological cancer can be very quiet at first, which may complicate its early detection. In fact, in the early stages, it usually does not produce warning signs, and when it does, they are not specific enough. This causes them to be confused with other more common diseases, such as dyspepsia because it causes abdominal bloating, lower back pain, or changes in intestinal transit.
Unfortunately, all of this can affect the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. For this reason, in addition to continuing gynecological examinations, it is important to know what are the possible symptoms of this tumor.
In case of doubt, it is advisable to consult primary care, emergency, or gynecology, as this can help in its early detection by conducting tests and analyses, in addition to other necessary procedures. Early detection is the key to starting treatment.
This is how ovarian cancer manifests itself
To learn more about the onset of ovarian cancer symptoms, Dr. Poveda explains the most common:
- abdominal swelling Caused by fluid accumulation.
- discomfort in the lower abdomen, Which can appear along with abdominal swelling.
- Knot In the stomach
- Change in bowel habits.
- occasional vaginal bleeding Between menstruation or in menopausal women.
Faced with these possible signs of ovarian cancer, Dr. Poveda advises us to go to a consultation to be able to assess each case and do the necessary tests.
Once this gynecological tumor is diagnosed, it is important to choose the most appropriate procedure to treat each case. Currently, there are treatments such as HIPEC or the Sugarbaker technique, which combine surgery with chemotherapy. At this point, Dr. Poveda points out that “as confirmed by the results of several epidemiological clinical studies, the pillars of ovarian cancer treatment are based on complete resection of the disease and subsequent treatment with chemotherapy.”
