Watch out for ovarian cancer when you experience digestive disorders

Early ovarian cancer has vague symptoms, in the late stages the extent of the spread can cause abdominal pain, constipation, hematuria .

Dr. Vu Van Vu, Head of Internal Medicine Department, Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, said early-stage ovarian cancer has no special symptoms. When the lesion has spread throughout the abdomen, it depends on the extent of the spread. For example, when the tumor spreads into the intestine or rectum, causing digestive disorders, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, intestinal obstruction . The tumor spreads to the bladder, causing irritation to urinate many times, urinating blood . .

Every year the world has about 240,000 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, 150,000 deaths. In Vietnam, there are about 1,200 women with ovarian cancer each year. Most patients are detected at a late stage, difficult treatment. The 5-year survival rate is only about 45%, ovarian cancer is the most life-threatening disease among gynecological cancers.

Ovarian cancer can occur at any age.

According to Dr. Vu, the disease progresses rapidly, about a few months a tumor can develop distant metastases. There is no effective screening measure yet. Women can be screened, have regular health checks by using abdominal ultrasound ultrasound, transvaginal ultrasound to detect abnormalities. In case of suspicion of lesions can coordinate other tests to determine the disease.

Dr. Le Tuan Anh, Deputy Director of Cancer Center, Cho Ray Hospital, said that treating ovarian cancer is quite complicated. The patient is highly responsive to the initial chemical treatment but most of the disease will recur or progress in a short time. Over 70% of late-stage ovarian cancer patients have a high risk of developing the disease within 5 years.

According to Dr. Tuan Anh, up to now the classic methods of treating ovarian cancer are surgery or chemotherapy. Recently, antimicrobial therapy has been shown to reduce pain and prolong life in the late stages. Tumors from the onset to large always have vascular status, so the method of resistance to this process combined with chemotherapy can help stabilize the disease in a certain time. This therapy has been applied in Vietnam for the treatment of bowel and lung cancer over the past decade. The Ministry of Health has now allowed the application of treatment for ovarian and cervical cancer.

Ovarian cancer can occur at any age , regardless of rich and poor, it is unclear why it is difficult to prevent. High-risk groups are those with gene mutations, germ cell mutations, family history of breast, intestinal, thyroid, and lung cancers. High risk is also in people with ovaries that are more active, ie continuous ovulation, early menstruation, late menopause, and no fertility period for ovaries to rest.