As the name suggests, ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in a woman’s ovaries. A woman has two ovaries as big as almonds. They are responsible for producing the eggs used in fertilization and reproduction. Ovarian cancer can go undetected for a long time, but here are some  symptoms and causes of ovarian cancer a woman should look out for.

Early signs
Generally, cancer starts spreading in the outer lining of the ovary.  During the early stages,  women may not even have any symptoms. Symptoms don’t start till the cancer has progressed, but if they do, they may also look like other conditions like PMS, bladder problems, and irritable bowel syndrome. The way to differentiate them is when the symptoms worsen over time. Some of these signs are-

• Sudden vaginal bleeding
• Pain in the abdomen
• Pelvis pain
• Loss of a proper appetite
• Frequent urination
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Breathlessness
• Indigestion

If these symptoms stay for any time longer than two weeks, you should make an appointment to see a doctor.

Causes 

Family history
If a close relative in your family has breast or ovarian cancer, chances that you may have it, too, increases exponentially. The way to get ahead of this would be getting screened for the BCRA gene and see if you are at high risk of getting the cancer.

Reproductive history
If a woman has had one or more successful full-term pregnancies, she is at a lower risk of contracting the disease. Breastfeeding also reduces this risk significantly. However, if a woman has never been pregnant, has been pregnant after the age of 35, or has used fertility treatments to get pregnant, she is at a relatively higher risk of suffering from cancerous cells.

Other cancers
If a woman has had a history of suffering from breast cancer, her chances of getting ovarian cancer also increases. This is because the BCRA gene has changed in the body. If the women test positive for the gene mutation and also have had a history of cancer, they choose to surgically get their ovaries removed as a preventive measure.

Hormone therapy
During menopause, many women opt for hormone therapy to make the transition a little smoother.  This can increase the risk of  getting ovarian cancer. However, once treatments stop, the risk also seems to decline.

HPV
Women who have been tested positive for HPV are at a higher risk of getting ovarian cancer as well. HPV can also be linked to be a risk for other kinds of cancer such as cervical or tonsils cancer.

Being informed about the symptoms and causes of ovarian cancer can help you make changes in your lifestyle to reduce the risk of contracting the disease.