Period cycles are different for every woman. A missed period up to a point is okay, but they could also be a sign of diseases such as ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancers make up 3% of the total amount that affects women. Symptoms of ovarian cancer include but are not limited to: pelvic or belly pain, frequently urinating, eating less than usual or feeling full way too quickly, Feeling extremely tired, having an upset stomach, being constipated, having a swollen belly, losing weight, having painful sex, experiencing back pain.
Risk factors include: aging, having children after the age of 35 years, never carrying a pregnancy to term, being overweight or obese, having a family history of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, or colorectal cancer, using hormone therapy following menopause, having a family cancer syndrome using fertility treatment, such as in-vitro fertilization. Missed periods can sometimes indicate ovarian cancer, but there is other more prominent symptom that should be noticed first.
Period cycles are never the same for every woman. They differ because they are dependent on the structure of our bodies and how our reproductive systems work. During teenage, it is common to miss periods or have them at irregular intervals. Hormonal imbalance or changes are the primary reason behind irregular periods. Missed periods are the biggest sign of pregnancy, but they could also be a sign of other things. In this article, we will discuss whether missed periods are a sign of ovarian cancer or not.
Is Missed Period a Sign of Ovarian Cancer?
What is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer develops in the ovaries, which are the female reproductive glands that produce eggs during a woman’s reproductive years. The ovaries also produce the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Ovarian cancer develops when cells in the ovaries begin to grow out of control. Ovarian cancer accounts for about 3 percent of cancers in women. It mainly develops in older women and affects the ovaries in the reproductive system.
Symptoms of ovarian cancer
Missing a period may be a symptom of ovarian cancer, but it is not the most common sign. Ovarian cancer typically has a certain set of symptoms, which are as follows:
- Pelvic or belly pain.
- Frequently urinating.
- Eating less than usual or feeling full way too quickly.
Having these symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has ovarian cancer. There is often a less serious cause. If the symptoms result from ovarian cancer, they will occur often and feel severe. Beyond changes in periods, other less common symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:
- Feeling extremely tired.
- Having an upset stomach.
- Being constipated.
- Having a swollen belly.
- Losing weight.
- Having painful sex.
- Experiencing back pain.
Risk factors of ovarian cancer
Factors that can increase a person’s risk of developing ovarian cancer include:
- Aging
- Having children after the age of 35 years
- Never carrying a pregnancy to term
- Being overweight or obese
- Having a family history of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, or colorectal cancer
- Using hormone therapy following menopause
- Having a family cancer syndrome using fertility treatment, such as in vitro fertilization.
Can missed period be a sign of ovarian cancer?
A person may miss a period for a number of common reasons. Ovarian cancer is a rare cause of a missed period. Ovarian cancer affects the ovaries, which are female reproductive organs that sit on either side of the uterus, or womb. This type of cancer may develop from various cell types in the ovaries or fallopian tubes. The most common type of ovarian cancer is an epithelial tumor called a serious carcinoma. Ovarian cancer represents around 3 percent of cancer cases in women. Understanding the symptoms of ovarian cancer can help a person get an early diagnosis. Missing a period can sometimes indicate ovarian cancer, but there are other more common symptoms. Ovarian cancer can affect a person’s menstrual periods. Changes may include bleeding that is heavier than usual or otherwise irregular. Missing a period can be one example.
If a person has ovarian cancer, missing a period can be an early sign. But there are many more common reasons for missing a period. These include:
How do we define a missed period?
In order to tell when a period is missed by you, it is important to understand the length of a menstrual cycle. Typically, a person’s cycle is between 24 and 38 days. The exact length varies for everyone and may change by a few days each month. Knowing what is normal for a person can help those spot irregular or missed periods. Irregular periods occur when the menstrual cycle length varies by more than 7–9 days. A missed period is when no bleeding happens for a whole menstrual cycle.
Does a missed period result from ovarian cancer?
Missing a period does not cause ovarian cancer. However, there may be a link between missing periods and an increased risk of developing the disease. A 2016 study( check references) revealed that women with irregular menstrual cycles may have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. The researchers found that this risk increased with age. Women with irregular menstrual cycles were twice as likely to have developed ovarian cancer by age 70 than women with regular menstrual cycles. Understanding why the risk of developing ovarian cancer may increase for people with irregular periods will require more research, as scientists have yet to find a causal link.
References
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.30144
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2039298/When-missing-period-sign-ovarian-cancer.html
