No matter their background, most of the female patients I treat seem to put the health of others ahead of their own. It makes months like September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, especially important in our practice because the early warning signs of this type of cancer are often subtle and easy to ignore. Yet, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, heightening the need for more vigilance surrounding risk factors and warning signs.
While ovarian cancer occurs in women of all ages, those who are in their sixties should be especially proactive in monitoring for signs. Other circumstances that increase risk include carrying around a few extra pounds, smoking, and frequent alcohol consumption. As experts in healthcare for LGBTQ+ patients, we know that ovarian cancer incidents are higher among lesbian and bisexual women who don’t customarily use contraception, which some studies show, decrease ovarian cancer risk by 50%. Other risk factors include:
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Taking hormone therapy after menopause
Having a first full-term pregnancy after age 35
Never having given birth
A family history of ovarian cancer, breast cancer or colorectal cancer
A personal history of breast cancer
An inherited genetic mutation (BRCA1, BRCA2)
A family cancer syndrome (lynch syndrome, Peutz-jeghers syndrome, MUTYH-associated polyposis)
Fertility treatment
What’s most worrisome about any cancer is late diagnosis, and when it comes to ovarian cancer, women are more likely to have symptoms if the disease has spread. Individually, common symptoms may be easily shrugged off; they include bloating, pelvic pain, trouble eating, feeling full quickly and urinary symptoms like urgency or frequency. More pronounced symptoms include extreme tiredness, upset stomach, abdominal swelling with weight loss, back pain, pain during intercourse, constipation, and changes in menstrual cycle.
Early Detection & Screenings
There is no doubt that catching cancer early often allows for more treatment options. Talk to a primary care physician about which screenings are best for you. For example, if you have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, your healthcare provider may want to order a blood test that has been helpful in finding epithelial ovarian cancer (the most common type). If you have a documented hereditary condition like nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, you should undergo periodic screenings including mammography, colonoscopy, and endometrial biopsy.
As specialists in primary care for the LGBTQ+ community, we also know that lesbian and bisexual women tend to get less routine healthcare than heterosexual women, but we also know that women in general sometimes feel unheard when they visit their doctor. It’s my hope that all women, no matter their age, sexual orientation, or background receive the preventative healthcare they need and deserve in order to live healthy lives.
M. Isabel Brady is a Certified Physician Assistant at Spectrum Medical Care Center, a Phoenix-based clinic that specializes in state-of-the-art, competent and compassionate primary care for LGBTQ+ patients and is a leading provider of primary care, preventative care, HIV care, and PrEP, PEP and STI testing services.
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