Gynecologic Cancer: Ovarian Cancer

     Ovarian cancer can affect women of all ages, but is more common in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Early detection is challenging due to often subtle or absent symptoms, resulting in most patients being diagnosed at an advanced stage.

Causes of Ovarian Cancer

The difficulty in detecting it stems from the ovaries being deep within the pelvis. Tumors are often found incidentally during checkups. If left unchecked, they are often large by the time symptoms appear. Possible symptoms include:
 

• Bloating, fullness, indigestion, constipation.
• Feeling the abdomen is enlarged, thinking one has gained weight.
• Abdominal pain/discomfort, sometimes mistaken for gastritis.
• Frequent or difficult urination.

Therefore, annual health checkups or pelvic exams are crucial.

Self-Observation Advice

If you experience unusual symptoms, such as:

• Chronic abdominal pain lasting over 1 month.
• Feeling abnormally bloated or having an enlarged abdomen.
• Digestive or excretory system dysfunction.
• Abnormal urination.

You should consult a doctor immediately for a diagnosis related to the female reproductive system.