What are the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I do not see anything suggestive of ovarian cancer in the history provided. Let me explain as follows:

1. Your age - In this age group, ovarian cancer is rare, except for a few sex cord type and germ cell tumors of the ovary. But they do not present like this.

2. Ovarian tumors never cause bleeding after sex.

3. Ovarian tumors are very silent. They present after many years. They are usually incidental findings on scans.

4. You have been having periods since the age of 15 to 18 years.

With your BMI (body mass index), I am sure they have not been regular. So you would have no ovulation. Only after repeated trauma to the ovarian surface, during ovulation for many years, does the site of trauma to the ovary undergo malignant change. Once malignant, it takes 15 to 20 years to become clinically evident. So you have to be 45 to 55 years of age to get that.

So, having completely ruled out any chances of ovarian cancer, I feel the only possibility is a pelvic or vaginal infection; I am not talking about an STD (sexually transmitted disease). During sex, organisms like Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia, or anaerobic bacteria can be transmitted from the male to the female genitals. This infection initially settles on the cervix, damaging the endocervical soft, sensitive area. This area forms cysts in the cervix called Nabothian follicles; this is what you saw on the scan. Slowly, it may heal.

If you have repeated infection at the same site, the cervix develops raw ulcers on the exposed or ectocervix. This is, again, an area that can bleed or throw out a drop or handful of fresh blood after any straining or sex. This will resolve on its own only if the trauma of sex and infection is stopped. This infection moves up slowly over months and years into the uterus and the adjoining muscles and ligaments.

So you will have white or yellowish or gray vaginal discharge with or without itching, foul smell, fatigue (as this is like any other infection draining your energy), feeling bloated, abdominal distention (all the infections alter your electrolyte balance and cause the fluid to move out of the vessels and collect in the abdomen), diarrhea (bowel will get irritated due to the infection in adjacent ligaments ), pain in legs (the nerves and vessels to the limb go under the same muscles and ligaments, they can be irritated or get compressed), radiating to hip.

In addition, you can have spotting after periods, a throbbing sensation in the lower abdomen before periods, and a feverish feeling during periods. Less lubrication during sex, burning sensation in the vagina during sex, pain at the very end of sex when the penis touches the top of the vagina, and periods of blood being darker and thicker than normal.

Usually, infection is mixed and not just due to yeast fungus; there will be a family of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, all of which cannot be detected on culture. When one is treated and cleared, the other will grow, and if not fully treated, it will regrow. Before treatment, confirm that you are not pregnant. I suggest you and your partner can have these after consulting with your physician:

1. Tablet Fluconazole 150 mg, one tablet after lunch.
2. Tablet Azithromycin 1 gm once a day, an hour before food.
3. Tablet Secnidazole forte: two tablets after dinner.
4. Later, you can have capsule Doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for one week.
5. Vaginal wash with cleanser twice a day, and vaginal pessary capsule Clingen forte (Clindamycin, Clotrimazole, and Tinidazole) or Clindamycin and Clotrimazole once at night for five nights.
6. Your partner can have a local application of any antibiotic or antifungal cream, such as Candid B (Clotrimazole), Candiderma (Beclometasone, Neomycin, and Clotrimazole), or Lobate GM (Clobetasol, Neomycin, and Miconazole), on the penis twice a day after washing for seven days.

Do not have sex till the infection is fully gone. Treating it is important as delay may spread the infection inside and may affect both your and your partner's fertility in the future.

I hope I have clarified your query.

Do write back if you have any more queries.

Thank you.