Ovarian cancer may have early indications
ROCHESTER, Minn., Nov 19, 2004
(United Press International via COMTEX) — Minnesota researchers say women who develop ovarian cancer may have early indications such as abdominal cramps and urinary incontinence.
The study by Olmsted Medical Center and Mayo Clinic found that the most common symptoms found in the records of the 107 ovarian cancer patients studied were cramps and abdominal pain, a spokesman said recently.
Abdominal pain and urinary urgency, frequency or incontinence were the most commonly documented symptoms in women who had Stage I and II, the early stages, of ovarian cancer. In patients with Stages III and IV cancer, the later stages, abdominal pain and increased abdominal girth were the most commonly documented symptoms.
Fewer than 25 percent of the symptoms would be considered unique to ovarian cancer or related directly to the reproductive pelvic organs: the uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix and ovaries.
The study found the following factors associated with a longer time to diagnosis of patients’ ovarian cancer: delays in women seeking medical care, health care system issues, competing medical conditions, physicians’ failure to follow up, and women not returning for follow-up