Madrid (EFE).- Persistent pelvic and abdominal pain that has no logical explanation, inappropriate vaginal bleeding or a feeling of fullness with food, even with small amounts of food, are mild symptoms of ovarian cancer that are recommended present and consult with the gynecologist.
The list of symptoms is completed by progressive abdominal distension, weight loss or difficulty eating, or persistent discomfort when urinating and defecating and that cannot be explained by other causes, as the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Gynecology has recalled in a statement. Obstetrics (SEGO).
The importance of an early diagnosis
On the occasion of World Ovarian Cancer Day that is celebrated this Monday, May 8, SEGO has called on society to recognize these symptoms that may be indicative of this type of tumor, which in the initial stages usually occurs without symptoms or with very mild symptoms that go unnoticed and are confused with benign processes.
For this reason, the majority of patients, between 70-80%, are diagnosed in an advanced stage of the disease, more commonly in postmenopausal women, with the highest incidence between 50 and 75 years of age.
Risk factor’s
In addition to age, other risk factors include a family history of breast, ovarian, colon, or endometrial cancer, as well as a personal history of breast cancer, a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, or no pregnancy.
It is estimated that by 2023 some 3,600 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in Spain, a disease that globally represents 3% of tumors in women and is the fifth leading cause of death after breast, lung, colon and pancreatic cancer. .
Ovarian cancer generally causes the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, causing what is called ascites, which may be relevant, and cause distension of the abdominal cavity. Fluid can also accumulate in the pleura around the lungs, causing shortness of breath or feeling short of breath.
On the other hand, the growth of an ovarian mass in the pelvis can affect neighboring structures, mainly the bladder and rectum, causing symptoms such as frequent diuresis, diarrhea or constipation, and abdominal or pelvic pain.
Despite the difficulty of currently having a technique for the early detection of ovarian cancer and its identification in its initial stages, notable advances have been made in the treatment of this tumor, both in the use of new less invasive and more advanced surgical techniques. accurate, as in the identification and application of new therapies.
The net survival rate in this type of tumors has been growing in recent years and stands at 41%, being higher in women under 74 years of age, according to data from the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN).