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45 Year Old Mother Worries: What Early Signs of Gynecological Cancer Should I Watch For?

Dr Nandita

Dr Nandita Palshetkar  | Answer  |Ask -

Gynaecologist, IVF expert - Answered on Feb 12, 2025

Dr Nandita Palshetkar is the medical director of Bloom IVF.
She is a pioneer in ICSI, laser hatching, spindle view, oocyte and embryo freezing, IMSI, in vivo vaginal culture, metabolomics, embryoscope and spindle check technologies.
With over 30 years of experience, Dr Nandita is managing 10 centres across India.
She has written over 100 papers, edited 25 books and given over 1,000 lectures and speeches.
She has also won several prestigious awards, including the Dronacharya Award (2021), the Bharat Gaurav Award at the House of Commons in London (2014) and the Inspiring Gynaecologists of India (2018) to name a few.
Dr Nandita completed her MBBS from Grant Medical College and Sir J J Hospital, Mumbai, and her MD in obstetrics and gynaecology from Mumbai University."... more
Asked by Anonymous - Feb 04, 2025Hindi
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I am 45 years old with a 12 year old daughter. What are the early signs of gynecological cancers, such as cervical or ovarian cancer, that women may overlook? Can early detection help improve survival rates?

Ans: Early signs of ovarian, cervical and breast cancer
1). OVARIAN CANCER:
Bloating
Abdominal pain cramps and discomfort
Pelvic pain
Change in bowel habits
Increase frequency of urination or dysuria
Fatigue
Irregular bleeding
Weight loss
CERVICAL CANCER:
Abnormal continuos vaginal discharge
vaginal bleeding after sex.
vaginal bleeding after menopause.
vaginal bleeding between periods or periods that are heavier or longer than normal.
vaginal discharge that is watery and has a strong odor or that contains blood.
pelvic pain or pain during sex.
BREAST CANCER
Lump in breast
Lump in axilla
Redness on lump if breast
Abnormal venous dilation on breast
Orange peel appearance of breast skin
Abnormal or bloody discharge of nipples
Pap smears, mammograms and colonoscopies all offer a way to detect cancer early —
The 2 tests used most often (in addition to a complete pelvic exam) to screen for ovarian cancer are transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and the CA-125 blood test.
Regular gynecological exams, including Pap smears and HPV tests, are used to help screen for cervical cancer.
Mammograms
Self-breast examination helps in early detection of breast cancer.
Yes, early detection of ovarian, cervical, and breast cancers significantly improves survival rates, as cancers caught in their early stages are more treatable and have a much higher chance of successful treatment compared to when diagnosed at later stages; this is why regular screening for these cancers is strongly recommended.
DISCLAIMER: The answer provided by rediffGURUS is for informational and general awareness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment.
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Gynaecologist, IVF expert - Answered on Feb 12, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Feb 04, 2025Hindi
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Dr Nandita

Dr Nandita Palshetkar  | Answer  |Ask -

Gynaecologist, IVF expert - Answered on Feb 12, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Feb 04, 2025Hindi
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How accurate are routine gynecological check-ups in detecting cancer? Do you think women can opt for specialised screenings for certain types of cancers? Please advice.
Ans: A gynecological examination, while a part of routine cancer screening, is not highly accurate on its own for detecting most cancers, particularly in early stages; a pelvic exam is particularly poor at detecting ovarian cancer, and a Pap smear is primarily used for cervical cancer screening, meaning further tests like biopsies are usually needed for definitive diagnosis of most gynecological cancers.
Certain screening test are available to rule out cancers:
For women, the most common screening tests to rule out cancer include mammograms for breast cancer, Pap smears (along with HPV tests) for cervical cancer, and regular pelvic exams.
Mammograms:
An X-ray of the breast that can detect cancerous lumps early when they are easier to treat.
Pap smear:
A test that examines cells collected from the cervix to identify abnormal cell changes that could develop into cervical cancer. Me
HPV test:
Detects the human papillomavirus (HPV) which is a major risk factor for cervical cancer.
Co-Test: HPV WITH DNA
Endometrial cancer
Endometrial cancer often presents early with vaginal bleeding after menopause. Routine transvaginal ultrasound can be done.
IF NEEDED endometrial biopsy done and sent for testing for grading the endometrial cancer.
Ovarian cancer
A CA-125 blood test can indicate high levels of a biomarker that may be a sign of ovarian cancer along with other tumor markers CEA, LDH, AFP, ca19.9 Roma index
If needed MRI can be done to detect the extent of spread.
Self-breast examination
Once a month post menses can help patient to detect sny lump in breast or axilla or any nipple changes.
These screening methods help in early diagnoses n treatment of cancers in early stage.

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