Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late because its symptoms resemble those of less serious conditions.
As a result, only 20% of patients are diagnosed early when treatment is more effective.
93% of women diagnosed early survive for more than five years, whereas survival drops to just 13% for those diagnosed later when the cancer has spread.
Dr Alex Missick, a family doctor from UK Meds, emphasizes that women can lower their risk of late-stage diagnosis by recognizing both common and lesser-known symptoms, as per Daily Mail.
She lists common signs like bloating, pelvic pain, feeling full quickly and frequent urination.
Additionally, she mentions six less obvious symptoms that many women may not associate with ovarian cancer.
Certain lesser-known symptoms such as pain during sex, leg swelling and pain, extreme fatigue, bowel habit changes, back pain and menstrual irregularities could indicate ovarian cancer.
As per the reports, certain factors, like aging and family history, increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
Additionally, mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can raise the risk of both ovarian and breast cancer.
Being overweight is another risk factor for developing the disease.
Dr Missick advices that if these symptoms persist and occur alongside more common ovarian cancer signs, women should consult a doctor.
Treatment options typically include surgery to remove cancer, chemotherapy to shrink tumours and hormone therapy to help control the disease.
