Women urged to start pelvic exams at 40

MANILA, Philippines - Women usually experience pelvic discomfort or bloating at different periods of their life. Increased abdominal girth that makes clothes fit tighter around the waist is a common condition that many women ignore, or just attribute to eating too much or aging.

The Philippine Socitety of Medical Oncology (PSMO), however, warned that a combination of other symptoms — such as pelvic discomfort or pain, persistent indigestion, gas or nausea; changes in bowel habits such as constipation, changes in bladder habit including a frequent need to urinate, loss of appetite, persistent lack of energy or low back pain — may pinpoint to a more serious condition.

 “The actual cause of ovarian cancer remains unknown,” according to PSMO president Gay Lapuz. “Most of the cases that are diagnosed in the Philippines are in the late stages since ovarian cancer is asymptomatic in its early stage, and the combination of the symptoms such as pelvic pain, low back pain, changes in both bladder and bowel movements may only occur during the late stages.”

How does a woman determine if she is at risk of ovarian cancer? The C-Network shares several risk factors that are known to increase one’s chances of developing the disease. At a higher risk than average of developing ovarian cancer are women who have never been pregnant or had children at over 50 years old. Half of all diagnosed cases involve women over 65. Also at higher risk are women with a family history of breast, ovarian, endometrial (uterine), prostate or colon cancer, and women who have had breast cancer

PSMO added that there could be a hereditary predisposition in some women. Other factors to be considered are early menstruation before age 12 and late menopause since it appears that the longer a woman ovulates, the higher her risk for ovarian cancer. The use of post-menopausal estrogen supplements for 10 years or more may also double a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer. The use of talcum powder in the genital area has been implicated in ovarian cancer in many studies because talc contains asbestos, a known carcinogen.

“A high-fat diet may also increase ovarian cancer because fat encourages higher production of estrogen,” says Dr. Lapuz.

Pregnancy and oral contraceptives could be protective, with the role of exogenous hormones as protective agents being studied.

Ovarian cancer is often referred to as a silent killer, because women either are unaware of having it, or have symptoms that are not accurately diagnosed until the disease is in an advanced state. “ Ninety-five percent of women who were later diagnosed with ovarian cancer may have experienced any of the symptoms early on. A thorough bi-manual pelvic examination could be an important screening that women from age 40 can do to help prevent ovarian cancer from progressing,” the PSMO president strongly advises.

For more information on ovarian cancer screenings and prevention, visit www.cnetwork,org,ph .