Many women are not knowledgeable about ovarian cancer before diagnosis despite most women experiencing warning symptoms, according to a report published by the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition.
According to the report, more than two-thirds of women had not heard of ovarian cancer or knew nothing about it before diagnosis; Clinicians believed that delays in diagnosis could be reduced and that lack of awareness contributed to these delays.
“It is vital that urgent steps are taken in every country to raise awareness of the disease and speed up diagnosis so that we can transform the outlook for the increasing numbers of women and their families affected by ovarian cancer,” said the co-chair of the Every Woman Study.
Ovarian cancer occurs when cells in the ovary develop errors in the DNA causing the cells to grow quickly and abnormally. Symptoms may include low abdominal discomfort or swelling, weight loss, frequent need to urinate, and constipation. You should discuss with your doctor if you are bothered by any of these symptoms.
