It's just my IBS flaring up (or is it?)... World Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day

Josh McCollum, Osteopath
May 8, 2020
3 min read

Today (Friday the 8th May 2020) is the Wold Ovarian cancer awareness day. This blog will take 5 minutes to read, but being aware of the symptoms of this common cancer may help save your life, especially given that it's symptoms can be very generic.

A little bit of data

Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common type of cancer that affects women, and it is often overlooked initially as a diagnosis due to many of its symptoms mimicking much less sinister conditions.

In 2017 there were 366,303 cases of cancer diagnosed in the UK, of which 6,856 of these were Ovarian cancer (WCRF).

A little bit of anatomy

Women are born with two ovaries, one on either side of the pelvis, the ovaries house the eggs (you are born with all of the eggs that you will have) and are part of the reproductive system. These eggs are what become fertilised during pregnancy. The ovaries are also involved in the production of 2 major hormones that are essential for the development of women’s characteristics, female health and reproductive health; Oestrogen and Progesterone.

And a little bit of knowledge - so, what are the symptoms?

As mentioned above, symptoms of ovarian cancer can mimic the symptoms of other conditions such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome) - so please do not always just get on with things; especially if you have noticed changes in yourself (remember - YOU ARE THE EXPERT OF YOU!). Some of the most common indicators include:

Feeling constantly bloated (The NHS website suggests especially if this is more than 12 times a month), or a visibly swollen stomach.
Discomfort around your stomach or pelvic area.
A loss of appetite, or feeling full very quickly, feeling very tired all the time and unintentional weight loss.
An increase in urination, either urgency or frequency.
A change in your bowel habits
Pain during sex (Dyspareunia)
Back pain, especially around the pelvis and low back.

Who is at risk?

All cancers have certain predispositions (things that make you more susceptible to something), some of these are lifestyle factors and some are genetic factors. Most of the risk factors below have had stronger evidence to support their links with epithelial ovarian cancer, but they may also be risk factors for other, less common types of ovarian cancers.

Lets go against normality, and start with the positives; what has been shown to decrease the risk of ovarian cancer?

There is evidence to suggest that pregnancy and carrying the baby to term as a woman under the age of 26 decreases your risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Oral contraceptives have been linked to a reduction in ovarian cancer risk, and the risk continues to be less for several years following the cessation of taking these tablets. The risk is also lowered with short term IUD (intrauterine devices) and having your Fallopian tubes tied.
The American Cancer Society also suggests that having a partial hysterectomy reduces the risk of developing Ovarian cancer by about one third.
Moderate physical activity has been shown to help reduce the risk of ovarian cancer (WebMD)

Major lifestyle factors include being overweight and the use of tobacco/smoking (not an overall increased risk factor, but an increased risk of developing the mucinous type .

Other risk factors include:

Your age: you are more likely to develop ovarian cancer above the age of 50.
Your family history: the risk increases if you have a family history of bowel, breast or ovarian cancer.
Your height: taller women are at a greater risk.
Starting your period early (most evidence suggests before the age of 12)
Going through your menopause late (again, evidence suggests over the age of 55).
Not having children, or having them over the age of 35 (American Cancer Society)
Taking hormone therapy after menopause
Fertility treatments: there appears to be a link with low malignant ovarian cancers and the use of hormones with IVF; however other studies have not found any link between these fertility treatments and more malignant ovarian cancer.
Suffering medical conditions such as endometriosis.

Slightly more controversial link factors to ovarian cancer where there is not solid evidence:

Diet: There appears to be a link with high red meat intake and ovarian cancer, alongside many other conditions, high fat diets and diets low in vegetable intake.
Talcum powder use near the genitals.

Just remember.. If something doesn't feel right - trust your gut and get it checked.