Experiencing frequent pelvic discomfort or pain lately? Feeling a persistent sensation of abdominal pressure and bloating or a sudden loss of appetite? Take no chance as these symptoms can be red flags of an underlying case of ovarian cancer especially if you have a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer.
September is the official ovarian cancer awareness month wherein many health communities, government agencies and research institutions work together in order to raise awareness about the hazardous health condition.
According to the OvarianCancerAwareness.org, every year, around 21,880 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. If left untreated, the condition is extremely hazardous with a survival rate of as low as 30.6 percent. However, the good news is that the condition can be treated when diagnosed in the early stages of the condition. To know more about the condition, it is important to differentiate the facts from the myths. Read on to know more about the common ovarian cancer myths.
Common Ovarian Cancer Myths:
Myth 1# Ovarian Cancer don’t have early signs and symptoms
Fact: Contrary to earlier beliefs that ovarian cancer is a “silent killer” as they can be detected only in the later stage, they do have some initial signs and symptoms. Recent medical studies have indicated that some of the common medical symptoms of ovarian cancer are abdominal plain or bloating, pelvic pain, feeling of fullness, urinary urgency and loss of appetite. Unlike digestive or bladder disorders, these symptoms can persist for days and even months if left untreated.
Myth 2# Ovarian cancer awareness increases anxiety in women
Fact: According to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA), increasing awareness about the condition doesn’t cause anxiety and, in fact, reassures the public. It provides them the knowledge to take care of their health in a better way.
Myth 3# Women with ovaries removed cannot have ovarian cancer
Fact: Although, this statement is true for most cases of ovarian cancer, there is a rare type of the cancer called primary peritoneal carcinoma which can affect a person even without the ovaries.
Myth 4# Ovarian cancer takes place only in older women with no children
Fact: It is true that this form of cancer is mostly seen in older people over 60 years of age. However, there are recorded cases of women in their 40s and even below having children who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Myth 5# Pap tests are used to detect ovarian cancer
Fact: This is again untrue as pap smears or pap tests can detect only cervical cancer and not ovarian cancer. For this form of cancer, health practitioners usually perform other tests like a pelvic examination for detecting any unusual mass or lump in the ovaries, a transvaginal ultrasound and a CA 125 blood test to detect elevated levels of the protein usually seen in ovarian cancer patients.
Myth 6# Family history is a must in ovarian cancer
Fact: Although, certain cases of ovarian cancer have a family history of either breast cancer or ovarian cancer, it is not the only risk factor. Studies have found that only about 12-15 percent of women with ovarian cancer have family histories. The condition is mostly due to the presence of certain inherited mutations in breast cancer genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Myth 7# Ovarian cancer is always fatal
Fact: Not all cases of ovarian cancer are deadly. When detected and treated in the early stages, the condition can be controlled with a five-year survival rate of nearly 90-92 percent.
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