Doctors call him a “silent killer”. Ovarian cancer takes almost 3 each year. Polish women

Annually, it is diagnosed in 4,5 thousand. women. As much as 70 percent. of them do not survive the next five years. Each year, nearly 3 die of ovarian cancer. Polish women. – Despite the enormous effort that we put into many hours of operations, we realize that this patient will probably die of ovarian cancer anyway. So we are mainly fighting to extend her life. In most cases, we wait for him to come back with a relapse – admits prof. Paweł Blecharz, head of the Gynecological Oncology Clinic at the Krakow branch of the National Oncology Institute (NIO).

1. Late diagnosis is the reason for such cruel statistics of morbidity and deaths from ovarian cancer. The symptoms of this cancer are difficult to grasp, and when they do appear, the cancer is usually already in an advanced stage. This is why doctors call him “the silent killer”
2. On May 8, we celebrate the World Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day. On this occasion, the Polish Society of Oncological Gynecology (PTGO) organized a debate with experts in the field of oncology. on the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of ovarian cancer in Poland
3. You have to disenchant the concept of ailments and symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. Yes, it has been established that we call him a silent killer, but a silent one does not mean that it does not give symptoms. Contrary to appearances, there are a lot of these symptoms, but they are uncharacteristic, especially taking into account the age at which patients suffer – pointed out prof. Anita Chudecka-Głaz, head of the Department of Surgical Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology for Adults and Girls at the University Hospital in Szczecin
4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

The statistics are scary, but there is hope

– Ovarian cancer is a silent killer. In 2020, the number of cases exceeded 4,5 thousand, of which over 3 thousand. patients die. That’s 380 cases a month and 13 a day. 13 patients a day find out that they have ovarian cancer! AND 70 percent loses this fight in five years – noted prof. Włodzimierz Sawicki, head of the Department and Clinic of Obstetrics, Women’s Diseases and Oncological Gynecology of the XNUMXnd Medical Faculty of the Medical University of Warsaw, and the president of PTGO.

The reason the statistics are so frightening is the late diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Why is this type of cancer so difficult to recognize? First of all, it is because of the symptoms that are difficult to notice and appear late, but the delayed diagnosis is also influenced by limited screening, i.e. the lack of screening possibilities. Ovarian cancer is often invisible during gynecological ultrasound and requires very precise laboratory and imaging diagnostics, focused on the cancer, to detect it.

This does not mean, however, that women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are doomed to failure. New treatment options offer hope not only to extinguish the disease, but also to enjoy good health for years to come.

– When I first started work, those with ovarian cancer passed away in a maximum of two or three years. Today, a woman who develops ovarian cancer has a chronic disease and can function in social, professional and family life for many years. I have an explosion of many years of functioning despite the disease among my patients – said prof. Mariusz Bidziński, head of the Gynecological Oncology Clinic of the NIO in Warsaw, national consultant for oncological gynecology.

The rest of the article is available under the video.

“The first person to recognize ovarian cancer is a seamstress”

During the expert debate, a lot of space was devoted to the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Prof. Anita Chudecka-Głaz believes that we should stop calling it a “silent killer” because ovarian cancer has symptoms but they are not specific.

– You have to disenchant the concept of ailments and symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. Yes, it has been established that we refer to him as a silent killer, but a silent one does not mean that it does not give any symptoms – she emphasized.

– Contrary to appearances, there are a lot of these symptoms, but they are non-specific, especially taking into account the age at which the patients suffer. These are symptoms that often appear in connection with the peri and postmenopausal periods. I encourage you to ask each patient about the symptoms that were present before the diagnosis. And it fits together. Most of the patients, when they focus, when they are told whether or not they have had such ailments, it turns out that they were – she emphasized.

A doctor from a hospital in Szczecin also pointed out the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer which are already visible and felt. Primarily:

1. abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort,
2. feeling full after eating or having problems with eating
3. flatulence
4. urinary symptoms, especially pollakiuria and painful bladder pressure.

Interestingly, by “segregating” these symptoms systemically, it turns out that ovarian cancer symptoms occurring in that part of the female reproductive system, the pelvis, are rare. Digestive and urinary tract ailments are more frequent.

If these symptoms occur regularly, contact your GP or gynecologist. The professor also clarified what the word “regularly” means in this case. This is a symptom that has appeared in the last year and occurs at least 12 times a month, or ailments that we feel every day or almost every day in the last three months to six months.

Rapid diagnosis is also very important because most women who experience symptoms of ovarian cancer are already in advanced (third or fourth) stages.

– If a patient has gastrointestinal complaints, most often the tumor is at some stage of advancement, it will be possible to see it. Even myself says the first person to recognize ovarian cancer is a seamstressbecause he says: “Dear Sophie, you have gained something.” And Ms Zosia simply has ascites – says prof. Włodzimierz Sawicki.

One must remain “oncological vigilance”

Since the symptoms of ovarian cancer appear late and it is difficult to clearly associate them with neoplastic disease, in How can I increase my chances of being diagnosed early?

Prof. Mariusz Bidziński has two councils. The first is to pay attention to the family lineage, i.e. the occurrence of cancer among relatives. – If I have at least one neoplasm in my immediate family (first and second degree kinship), the more I have to be more oncologically vigilant – explains the expert. And he adds. – If for a period of three to four weeks gastric problems or any other symptoms, let’s go to the gynecologist, even if the last visit was a few months earlier. There is no reason to procrastinate.

Family doctors also play an important role in maintaining this oncological vigilancewho should not underestimate the ailments with which patients return to them and send them for basic laboratory and imaging tests, refer them to specialists (e.g. a gastroenterologist to exclude gastric diseases).

They should also ask her a question about the last time she visited the gynecologist, but regardless of the answer, his role is to refer the patient for such a consultation. Even if it was held recently. It happens that a cancer that has not been seen in one test “reveals” in another.

Doctors, however, do not hide that sometimes cancer cannot be diagnosed on ultrasound. However, if the patient complains of worsening symptoms, characteristic of ovarian cancer, the gynecologist will certainly refer her to more specialized tests that will facilitate the diagnosis of the disease.

What is the prognosis for ovarian cancer?

When it comes to the prognosis for ovarian cancer, a lot depends on the severity of the disease. They are the most successful in the case of the first of them – here the minimum five-year survival is at the level of 90%. In the third degree it is 40%, in the fourth degree only 20%. Most (70-75%) cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the third or fourth stage of the cancer.

– Despite the enormous effort that we put into many hours of operations, we realize that this patient will probably die of ovarian cancer anyway. So we are mainly fighting to extend her life. In most cases, we wait for him to come back with a relapse – admits prof. Paweł Blecharz, head of the Gynecological Oncology Clinic at the Krakow branch of the National Oncology Institute (NIO).

Strong menstrual pain is not always “so beautiful” or a woman’s hypersensitivity. Endometriosis may be behind such a symptom. What is this disease and how is living with it? Listen to the podcast about endometriosis by Patrycja Furs – Endo-girl.