Be on alert for ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is especially scary, since it's typically discovered at an advanced stage. So it's encouraging that experts have identified health problems that could be early warning signs.

These experts want women who have the symptoms for more than a few weeks to make an appointment with their doctor, the New York Times reported Wednesday. Bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, trouble eating or feeling full fast and needing to urinate often or urgently may signal the disease's presence.

This new information could save lives and prolong survival rates but could also lead to unnecessary worry, tests and even surgeries. If women see their doctors, though, the trade-off will be greater peace of mind.

In 2007, the National Cancer Institute estimates there will be 22,430 new cases of ovarian cancer and 15,280 deaths in the United States. It is the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among U.S. women.

Currently, only about 20 percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed early, according to the American Cancer Society. When found at an early, localized stage, 94 percent of patients live longer than five years.

While it's likely most women who have the symptoms will not have ovarian cancer, don't delay in finding out.

New, persistent problems are particularly important, Dr. Barbara Goff told the Times. She is director of gynecologic oncology at the University of Washington in Seattle and an author of studies that led to identification of the symptoms.

It's human nature to ignore health problems that could be deadly or could be nothing at all. Is that chest pain indigestion or a heart attack?

The quiet progression of ovarian cancer underscores the importance of erring on the side of caution.

source:desmoinesregister.com