Digestive disorders and ovarian cancer: when consulting becomes crucial.
Women with ovarian cancer are more likely to take medications to treat stomach pain and indigestion. Ovarian cancer, the eighth most common cancer in women, often causes few noticeable symptoms. Early signs include gynecologic complaints such as bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge, and pelvic pain, as well as local disturbances such as urinary leakage and a feeling of heaviness. Symptoms may also include digestive problems such as bloating, nausea, loss of appetite, and stomach pain.
These symptoms, often vague in the early stages of the disease, prompt some women to seek treatment at the pharmacy rather than consult a general practitioner, not suspecting the seriousness of their condition. A study conducted by researchers at Imperial College London examined the link between the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and the purchase of drugs to treat pain and indigestion.
The researchers used information from the loyalty cards of 273 women, 153 of whom had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 120 of whom were healthy. They analyzed the women’s monthly purchases of digestive medications over a six-year period. Participants also completed a questionnaire about ovarian cancer risk factors, symptoms experienced, and the number of doctor visits in the year before diagnosis.
The findings, published in the journal JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, show that purchases of digestive medications increased eight months before ovarian cancer diagnosis, and up to nine months before for indigestion medications. The data suggest that loyalty card information on over-the-counter medication purchases could help detect ovarian cancer cases earlier.
“Early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is critical to improving survival. We hope this research will help detect symptoms of ovarian cancer earlier and improve treatment options for patients,” said James Flanagan, lead author of the study. David Crosby, head of prevention and early detection research at Cancer Research UKadded: “In the digital age, we have a wealth of data. Studies like this show how we can use this information to detect cancer earlier.”
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