September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, a moment set aside each year to shine a light on a topic many of us tend to put off: what we actually know about ovarian cancer, and what the research says about catching it early. It is a good reminder to get familiar with your own health and your own risk.
The good news is that being informed does not have to mean being worried. Keep reading for a closer look at what the evidence tells us.
Ovarian cancer can be quiet in its early stages
One of the reasons ovarian cancer gets so much attention each September is that it can be hard to catch early. In its earliest stages it often causes no symptoms at all. When symptoms do appear, they tend to look a lot like everyday complaints: bloating, pelvic or abdominal discomfort, feeling full quickly, constipation, or needing to urinate more often.
Because these signs are so common and so easily explained by other things, ovarian cancer is often not found until later. This is exactly why understanding your own body, and what is normal for you, matters so much.
Some women are at higher risk than others
Risk is not the same for everyone. Factors that can raise a woman's risk include being over 50, having certain inherited gene changes, and having a family history of ovarian or breast cancer. A few reproductive factors, such as starting menstruation early or reaching menopause later, may also play a role.
Knowing where you stand is useful information to bring to your next appointment, especially if ovarian or breast cancer runs in your family.
What the research says about screening
It would be reassuring to think that a simple test could catch ovarian cancer early in everyone. But the evidence tells a more careful story. Research summarized on the Portal found that for women who are at average risk and have no symptoms, the two common screening approaches, a CA-125 blood test and a transvaginal ultrasound, do not reduce the number of deaths from ovarian cancer.
There is also a trade-off to weigh. False-positive results, meaning the test suggests a problem that turns out not to be there, can lead to unnecessary surgeries and the worry that comes with them. For this reason, both the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care do not recommend routine ovarian cancer screening for average-risk women without symptoms.
You can read the full evidence on the Portal in Screening for ovarian cancer: what you should know and in Evidence-based insights on 3 types of cancer screening.
A note on what this means for you: recommendations are made for large groups of people, and your situation is your own. If you have symptoms, a family history, or a known risk factor, screening or further testing may still be appropriate. The right step is always a conversation with your health care provider, who can weigh the benefits and drawbacks in light of your personal health.
What you can do this month
Awareness Month is a fine time to take a few practical steps:
- Get to know what is normal for your body, and take note if something changes and sticks around for a few weeks.
- Learn your family history of ovarian and breast cancer, and share it with your health care provider.
- Bring your questions to your next appointment, including whether your personal risk changes anything for you.
- Share what you learn with the women in your life. A short conversation with a sister, friend, or daughter about family history and symptoms can go further than you might expect.
None of these steps requires a test or a doctor's office. They simply put you in a stronger, more informed position, which is what optimal aging is all about.
