How You Can Stop the Stealthiest Cancer

Ovarian cancer is among the top 5 diseases that women fear most. And here’s why: Every year, nearly 25,000 American women are diagnosed with the disease—and for roughly four in five of them, the cancer has already spread beyond the ovaries. At that point, it’s too late to save most of these women. Yet when ovarian cancer is found before it spreads, more than 90 percent of women survive longer than five years. The problem is in the finding. “We need much better tests than we currently have,” says Beth Karlan, MD, an ovarian-cancer specialist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Here’s what you need to know to boost your own chances of early detection.

Know the symptoms
After decades of claiming there are no true symptoms, several leading cancer organizations, including the American Cancer Society, now recommend that you watch out for the following: bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty with eating, feeling full quickly after eating, or the development of urinary symptoms (like urgency or frequency). Don’t just assume that these symptoms are caused by a stomach bug, irritable bowel, or an infection. If you notice any of them every day for more than a few weeks, see your gynecologist. They could be early signs of ovarian cancer. “We need to dispel the myth that this is a silent killer,” Karlan says. “We know there are delays in diagnosis because women are often too busy with their lives to take note of the subtle symptoms. But these symptoms are real. Usually they’re persistent and persuasive. If that’s what you have, make an appointment and ask about ovarian cancer.”

Talk to relatives
Make sure you know everything there is to know about your female relatives’ cancer history on both your mom and dad’s sides. If you have a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) who has had ovarian cancer, your risks are much higher than average. Even if it’s an aunt, grandmother, or great-grandmother, your risk may be elevated. The same goes for breast cancer in relatives—that, too, could be a sign of higher risks for ovarian cancer. Your overall risk will depend on a variety of factors, such as ethnicity and the age when your relative developed cancer, says David A. Fishman, MD, director of the Screening and Prevention Program at the New York University Cancer Institute. If you do have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer, talk to a geneticist. Ask for a referral from your doctor or insurance plan.