August 28, 2014
Help raise awareness of ovarian cancer by wearing teal Friday, Sept. 5! Each year, the first Friday in September is designated as Wear Teal Day. You're encouraged to dress in teal and educate others about the symptoms and risk factors of this disease.
Symptoms:
- Bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Feeling full quickly or having difficulty eating
- Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)
If you experience any of these symptoms more than 12 times a month and they're new or unusual to you, see a doctor - preferably a gynecologist.
The alliance and other leading cancer organizations endorsed a consensus statement on ovarian cancer symptoms.
As medical research continues to investigate ovarian cancer, numerous studies have been published indicating that symptoms may not occur until late stage.
According to the alliance, symptoms are important, but they are not a definitive diagnostic tool. Because there is no diagnostic tool for ovarian cancer, symptom awareness remains of key importance. It can help women get diagnosed sooner.
Early-stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.
Other Reported Symptoms
Other symptoms have been reported by women with ovarian cancer, including:
- Fatigue
- Indigestion
- Back pain
- Pain during intercourse
- Constipation
- Menstrual irregularities
These additional symptoms, however, are not as useful in identifying ovarian cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the general population who do not have ovarian cancer.
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