The comparison between presenting symptoms of ovarian cancer and other abdominal - pelvic cancers

Abstract

Introduction: Diagnostic delays of ovarian cancer, has been attributed to the lack of a reliable and cost-effective screening test and presumption that ovarian cancer is  symptomatic in the early stages. To investigate presenting symptoms of ovarian cancer and compare with symptoms of other abdominal-pelvic cancers
Methods: We reviewed the medical records of all women with abdominal-pelvic cancers between March, 2003 and March, 2005 in Shiraz medical centers to compare, presenting symptoms of ovarian cancer and other abdominal-pelvic cancers.
Results: Of 168 women with a diagnosis of abdominal-pelvic cancers, ovarian cancer was diagnosed for 22 women. (Stage I: 0, Stage II: 2, Stage III: 10, Stage IV: 7 and 3 patients
without staging.) The mean age of patients with ovarian cancer was 51/6.The sensation of abdominal mass was more common in women with ovarian cancer than other abdominalpelvic cancers (P=0.00l). Constipation was documented in the patients with colon cancer more than women with ovarian cancer (P=0.012), whereas urinary symptoms were more common in patients with ovarian cancer (P=0.004).Although the women with bladder cancer complained from urinary problems more than who had ovarian cancer (P=0.00l), but defecation problems and abdominal pain were more detected in patients with ovarian cancer (p=0.05). 
Conclusion: The most common cases of ovarian cancer present in the end stage that usually have poor prognosis. It can be associated to both patient and healthcare factors. This cancer is associated with many symptoms, but few symptoms are related to reproductive system. Sensation of abdominal mass, abdominal pain and urinary and defecation problems are the symptoms that can be associated with this cancer.

Key words: Presenting Symptoms, Ovarian Cancer, and Abdominal-Pelvic Cancers.