Every year, nearly 20,000 American women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a leading cause of cancer deaths among women. While the rate of ovarian cancer has declined in recent years, women with risk factors for the disease still need to take steps to prevent it.
At the Center for Urogynecology and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, board-certified OB/GYN and urogynecologist Rafael J. Perez, MD, FACOG, offers state-of-the-art screening for ovarian cancer, looking for early signs of the disease while also helping women manage their risks.
If you’re at risk of ovarian cancer, here’s what you should know.
Ovarian cancer can affect one or both ovaries, often causing no symptoms in its initial stages and making it difficult to spot until it progresses. When it does cause symptoms, they can include:
Ovarian cancer can also cause vaginal bleeding, especially in post-menopausal women. If you have any of these symptoms, get them checked out right away.
In addition to recognizing the symptoms of ovarian cancer, you need to understand the risk factors that make ovarian cancer more likely. These include:
Ovarian cancer also tends to be more common among women who haven’t given birth, and it’s much more common during menopause compared to the childbearing years.
Ovarian cancer is much more common among women with mutations in two genes that are also associated with breast cancer: BRCA1 and BRCA2. As many as 70% of women with these mutations will develop ovarian cancer.
Mutations in some other genes can also increase your risk of the disease.
Unlike mammograms, which we recommend for all women to screen for breast cancer, ovarian cancer screening isn’t for every woman. We only recommend it if you have specific risk factors for the disease. That includes a family history of ovarian cancer.
Dr. Perez and our team use two techniques to screen for ovarian cancer: transvaginal ultrasound and blood testing.
With transvaginal ultrasound, we use a wand-shaped device to look for unusual changes in your ovaries. Blood tests look for a protein that’s typically elevated in women with ovarian cancer.
Depending on your results, Dr. Perez may prescribe additional evaluations, including biopsies to obtain and evaluate unusual tissue. He might also recommend genetic testing to look for genetic mutations that increase your risk of ovarian cancer.
Like other cancers, ovarian cancer responds best to early treatment. If you have any symptoms of ovarian cancer or if you have known risk factors, call us at 305-240-6047 to request an appointment with Dr. Perez and our team in South Miami, Florida, today.
