Ovarian cancer self-examination

The ovaries are also an important reproductive organ in the female reproductive system. The main function of the ovaries is to maintain the normal level of estrogen in the female body. If the ovaries are diseased, it will affect a woman's normal endocrine system. Among them, ovarian cancer is also a cancer with a high incidence rate, and it is not easy to detect in the early stages of ovarian cancer. So what are the ways to self-check whether you have ovarian cancer?

The main function of the ovaries is to maintain the level of estrogen in women. In addition to completing fertility, the ovaries also have an endocrine function. For a normal woman, even when she reaches menopause, the ovaries still play a very important role within ten years after menopause. During this period, although the estrogen level is lower than before menopause, a certain amount of estrogen can still be secreted to protect women's cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It can also slow down bone loss and delay the occurrence of osteoporosis, thus ensuring women's "sexual happiness" to a certain extent and avoiding the sudden aggravation of various menopausal symptoms. It seems "incompatible" with the big function of the ovary. Its size is very small, about 4×3×1 cm for an adult ovary, and it gradually shrinks after menopause. However, it is the organ most prone to tumors, which can occur at any age.

Beware of early symptoms of ovarian cancer

The ovaries are located deep in the pelvic cavity, on both sides of the uterus, and are generally not easy to be found. By the time obvious symptoms appear, they have usually already metastasized and spread, and the 5-year survival rate is only 30-40%. The "Ovarian Cancer Triad" is an early symptom that is easily overlooked:

Age: Ovarian epithelial cancer often occurs in people over 40 years old, so you should be extra vigilant if you feel any discomfort at this time.

Abdominal discomfort: including indigestion, abdominal bloating, tightness in the waistband of pants, and flatulence, especially after eating. About 2/3 of ovarian cancer patients have ascites, and obese women are more likely to be mistaken for having increased fat and ignore cancer symptoms.

Ovarian dysfunction: increased or irregular menstruation.

Once an ovarian malignancy is suspected, the first principle of treatment is a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the main auxiliary treatment. Ovarian malignant tumors are sensitive to chemotherapy and can achieve certain therapeutic effects even if they have metastasized widely. Radiation therapy is an adjunct to surgery and chemotherapy. With the in-depth understanding of the molecular biological characteristics of ovarian tumors and the continuous improvement of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the survival rate of patients with early ovarian malignant tumors has gradually increased, and the 5-year survival rate of early cases can reach more than 90%.

Women over 30 should have gynecological examinations every year

Ovarian cancer usually has no obvious early signs and can usually only be detected through examination. It is currently difficult to prevent ovarian cancer, but if the following measures can be actively taken, it will be beneficial.

Prevention of high-risk factors: vigorously carry out education, increase high-protein, vitamin A-rich diet, and avoid high-cholesterol foods.

Carry out universal screening and treatment: Women over 30 years old should undergo gynecological examination every year, and high-risk groups should be examined every six months to rule out ovarian tumors.

Early detection and early treatment: Ovarian solid tumors or cysts larger than 5 cm in diameter should be promptly removed surgically. If ovarian enlargement is found in women before puberty, after menopause, or during childbearing years who take oral contraceptives, ovarian tumors should be considered. If the diagnosis of pelvic masses is unclear or the treatment is ineffective, laparoscopy or exploratory laparotomy should be performed as soon as possible. Patients with breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, etc. should be closely followed up after treatment and undergo regular gynecological examinations.

How can women learn to self-check ovarian tumors?

1. Touch the abdomen. This method is best performed in the morning after waking up and emptying your bladder. The woman should lie flat on the bed with her legs slightly bent, and carefully touch the lower abdomen from one side to the other with her hand, using a pressure ranging from light to heavy. If a lump or hard foreign object is found, it may be a tumor.

2. Observe bleeding. Abnormal vaginal bleeding is one of the most common symptoms of gynecological tumors. Most of the time, it is caused by tumors in the cervix and uterus, but it may also be caused by endocrine changes, which manifest as menstrual disorders and abnormal bleeding. If you notice increased menstrual flow, irregular periods, contact bleeding, etc., you should pay attention and go to the hospital for examination in time.

3. Observe the leucorrhea. Normal leucorrhea is white and slightly sticky. The amount and thickness of leucorrhea will change slightly with the menstrual cycle. However, the presence of purulent leucorrhea, bloody leucorrhea, rice-water-like leucorrhea, or watery leucorrhea is abnormal and may be a cervical tumor or advanced cervical cancer.

4. Feeling pain Feeling pain is not an early symptom of a tumor. However, when the tumor is large enough to compress or invade other organs, it will cause pain. For example, pain in the lower abdomen, lower back, sacrum, etc. If the tumor pedicle twists, ruptures or degenerates, it may also cause abdominal pain.

Treatments for ovarian cancer

1. Surgical treatment Surgery refers to the direct removal of all cancerous tissues. This surgery is more effective, but the patient will be unable to have children afterwards because the ovaries are also removed during the removal. Only keep the useful parts.

2. When chemotherapy fails to eliminate the lesions using most methods, chemotherapy with great side effects must be used. Chemotherapy mainly uses drugs to slow down the division of cancer cells, and then cooperates with other methods for further treatment. However, the effect of radiotherapy is actually very limited, and the side effects can cause patients to experience nausea or hair loss.

3. Radioimmunotherapy is the same as chemotherapy. Radiotherapy is only used when ovarian cancer develops to a more serious stage. When radiotherapy is used as a last resort, it is basically said that the disease is under control. Because the first two methods are ineffective, radiotherapy is chosen to use, and the side effects are doubled.

Usually, the treatment of ovarian cancer should follow a principle. When treating ovarian cancer, surgery is the main treatment and it is supplemented by comprehensive treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and traditional Chinese medicine, in a step-by-step manner. The factor that drives the gradual progression is the course of the disease.

The above summarizes a lot of health knowledge about the ovaries. It is necessary to understand some early symptoms of ovarian cancer in advance. It is also recommended that women learn to self-check ovarian tumors on a daily basis. By frequently massaging the abdomen, observing bleeding and leucorrhea, etc., they can effectively prevent the occurrence of ovarian cancer. You can refer to these early symptoms. Once you find any abnormal physical manifestations, you should go to the hospital for diagnosis in time and then receive symptomatic treatment.