This year alone, almost 20,000 women will be diagnosed with a mostly silent, fast-moving disease. And 13,000 women will die from it.

It’s one that if caught early carries a 93 percent chance of surviving five years — but when caught late, the outlook dwindles to a 90 percent chance of dying within those five years.

The disease is ovarian cancer.

And according to research published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, these are the three symptoms that should trigger immediate testing, so that you can get the early treatment you need to increase your survival chances.

The importance of symptom-triggered testing

 The researchers specifically recommend what’s known as ‘symptom-triggered’ testing.

That means that if you have the symptoms, your doctor should order testing right away — not tell you it’s probably nothing or sit around waiting to see if things get better, while cancer could be growing.

And they say that the symptoms to watch for when it comes to ovarian cancer are:

• Pain
• Abdominal bloating/swelling
• Feeling full soon after starting to eat

Their research of over 1,700 women showed that testing triggered by these symptoms can pick up early-stage aggressive ovarian cancer in one in four of those affected. And complete surgical removal of the cancerous tissue was possible in 60 percent of those diagnosed in this way.

In other words, symptom-based testing can help ensure that the most common type of ovarian cancer is caught early when chances of treatment and even complete removal are best.

It’s important to note there are additional symptoms women should bring up to their doctors that should also trigger testing, like changes in bowel or bladder habits and nausea or vomiting.

What should happen if you have these symptoms?

According to the American Cancer Society, about half of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are 63 or older. So whether you’re younger or on the mature side, regular gynecological visits are also very important, but every woman should see their doctor if they have any of these symptoms.

Two tests are used most often for screening, in addition to a complete pelvic exam. They are transvaginal ultrasound and the CA-125 blood test.

So if your doctor doesn’t pay as much attention to your symptoms as you’d like, remember you can always get a second opinion to pursue testing.

Reducing your risks of ovarian cancer

Additionally, there are lifestyle factors that can help to cut down on your risk of this and other cancers. These include:

• Quitting tobacco
• Reducing alcohol intake
• Increasing exercise (research has shown even concerning a genetic cancer predisposition, high-intensity training enhances how the body fights cancer at its earliest stages)
• Eating healthy foods (especially ones that fight cancer)
• Lowering your body mass index (an increased BMI is associated with a greater risk for ovarian cancer with worse overall survival)

All of these help cut down on the amount of inflammation in your body, which is associated with developing cancer.

Finally, if your symptom-triggered testing does show ovarian cancer, you might consider harnessing the power of hemp, in addition to traditional medical care, to help your body fight back.

That’s because hemp extract has been shown to slow down metastasis of ovarian cancer cells and reduce the secretion of a compound known as interleukin IL-1 beta.

That’s important because interleukins produce inflammation that’s been linked to cancer development and progression. In other words by preventing interleukin secretion, the hemp could protect against the development of ovarian cancer or slow it down if you’ve already been diagnosed.

Sources:

‘Symptom triggered’ testing can pick up early stage aggressive ovarian cancer in 1 in 4 of those affected — EurekAlert!

Key Statistics for Ovarian Cancer — American Cancer Society

How to reduce your risk of ovarian cancer — Indiana University Health