Every woman had the same reaction I did to today’s news about ovarian cancer symptoms: " I have these symptoms every month! Are they kidding?"  And we all got a good laugh, but this is actually serious stuff.  Cancer experts are getting the word out that ovarian cancer does have symptoms, after all.  The experts have hesitated to make a big announcement in the past, and there will be plenty of debate.  The symptoms are very similar to the kind of thing that many women put up with all the time: bloating, abdominal pain, feeling full quickly after eating, and frequent or urgent need to urinate.  Sounds familiar, doesn’t it, ladies?  But the headline today is vital to your survival, so let’s have our laugh and then get down to business. The difference between these symptoms and the other problems they can imitate are these:  The symptoms are NOT usual for you, they start rather quickly, and continue for three weeks or more.  The cancer experts don’t want women to be running to their doctor for unnecessary tests, but here’s where your own judgment comes in.  Know your body!  It’s the same for breast lumps. You need to get knowledgable about your own breasts, so you can spot a problem early.  Breast cancer survival rates are in the high 80’s, compared to just 11% for ovarian cancer (five years is the benchmark), mainly because of ealy detection.  If ovarian cancer cases can be found early, women’s lives will be saved in increasing numbers!  So get to know your own internal workings. And trust your instincts. POSTED BY PAULA FRANCIS

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