Columbus, OH,
16
September
2020
|
17:42 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

NBC4: Ovarian Cancer Symptoms to Watch For

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9.15.20 TV4 Ovarian Cancer

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, which is always a good time to remind yourself and the women in your life about symptoms to watch out for.  

“The biggest symptoms are going to be bloating, urinary symptoms of feeling like you have to go to the bathroom all the time, any new abdominal or pelvic pain or feeling full after meals,” Kellie Rath, MD, a gynecologic onocologist with OhioHealth Physician Group, told NBC4 reporter Audrey Hasson.

Unlike breast cancer, where you can get a screening mammogram or colon cancer, where you can get a colonoscopy, there isn't a screening test for ovarian cancer.  That's why it's especially important to know your body and know when something feels different.

“For ovarian cancer, unfortunately, there’s no screening, there’s no way for us to check women once a year to see if they have it, so, being in touch with your body is important,” Dr. Rath told NBC4. 

The Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Ohio says that every 23 minutes, a woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. One out of 75 women will develop ovarian cancer in her lifetime and 14,000 women die of the disease each year.

To learn more about the care of gynecologic cancers at OhioHealth, click here. The OhioHealth approach to cancer care involves a partnership of experts, including surgical, medical and radiation oncology, radiology, pathology, palliative care, hospice, nursing, navigation and research and genetic counseling. Our focus is always on the individual needs and experience of each patient, so we pay special attention to each patient’s quality-of-life concerns, wellness, spiritual and emotional care.

OhioHealth physicians adhere to best practice clinical standards for the treatment of gynecologic cancers, working together to analyze the patient's specific case and develop a personalized and most appropriate treatment plan.