Would ovarian cancer cause pain in your ovaries?
Posted on Jun 01, 2008 under cancer news and reports |I've had pain in my ovaries for years and never thought much of it. .When I had a tubal done, the Dr said my ovaries looked fine. I had an MRI done about 2 wks ago and it came back that I have a "mass" on each of my ovaries. I'm going in for a sonogram this week to further explore what these "masses" are.
I was just wondering if ovarian cancer was painful? I know that breast cancer isn't…that's usually a danger signal, but when a breast lump is painful it's usually benign.
June 1st, 2008 at 7:29 am
Symptoms of ovarian cancer are nonspecific and mimic those of many other more common conditions, including digestive and bladder disorders. It isn't unusual for a woman with ovarian cancer to be diagnosed with another condition before finally learning she has cancer. The key seems to be persistent or worsening signs and symptoms. With most digestive disorders, symptoms tend to come and go, or they occur in certain situations or after eating certain foods. With ovarian cancer, there's typically little fluctuation — symptoms are constant and gradually worsen.
Recent studies have shown that women with ovarian cancer are more likely than are other women to consistently experience the following symptoms:
Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
Urinary urgency
Pelvic discomfort or pain
Additional signs and symptoms that women with ovarian cancer may experience include:
Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea
Unexplained changes in bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation
Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate
Loss of appetite
Unexplained weight loss or gain
Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist
Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia)
A persistent lack of energy
Low back pain
Doctors can usually diagnose ovarian cancer within three months of women first noticing symptoms, but sometimes it may take six months or longer before a diagnosis can be made.