What are the signs of ovarian cancer recurrence?

Recurrence of ovarian cancer may cause symptoms such as pelvic pain, abdominal fullness, abnormal vaginal bleeding, weight loss, and indigestion. Signs of ovarian cancer recurrence mainly include lower abdominal pain, a feeling of fullness after eating, changes in urinary habits, decreased physical strength, and short-term weight loss. Recurrence may be affected by factors such as residual lesions, genetic mutations, and low immunity.

1. Dull pain in lower abdomen

When ovarian cancer recurs, the tumor may compress the pelvic nerves or invade surrounding tissues, causing persistent dull pain or intermittent tingling. Some patients may experience a feeling of swelling in the anus. The pain becomes worse as the condition progresses, and the pain may worsen at night. Drugs such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, celecoxib capsules, and loxoprofen sodium tablets are commonly used clinically to relieve pain. Patients need to undergo regular ultrasound or CT examinations to identify the location of the lesions.

2. Feeling full after eating

Recurrent lesions compress the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in delayed gastric emptying. In the early stage, epigastric distension after meals may occur, and in the late stage, vomiting may occur and the patient cannot eat. This is related to peritoneal effusion or intestinal adhesions caused by tumors. It is recommended to eat small meals frequently and choose low-fiber foods. Doctors may prescribe drugs to improve digestive function such as domperidone tablets, mosapride citrate tablets, and pancreatin enteric-coated capsules.

3. Abnormal urination

Tumor compression of the bladder or ureter can cause frequent urination and urgency, and in severe cases, hydronephrosis. Some patients experience pain on urination or hematuria, which is related to tumor invasion of the urinary tract mucosa. It needs to be evaluated by urine routine and urinary tract ultrasound. In clinical practice, tamsulosin hydrochloride sustained-release capsules, solifenacin succinate tablets, sodium bicarbonate tablets and other drugs are commonly used for symptomatic treatment.

4. Decreased physical strength

Cancer cells consume a large amount of energy, which can lead to persistent fatigue. Decreased hemoglobin and the release of inflammatory factors aggravate the feeling of fatigue. The patient showed symptoms such as shortness of breath and drowsiness during mild activity. It is recommended to engage in moderate aerobic exercise, and you can use nutritional support drugs such as vitamin B complex tablets, methylcobalamin tablets, and ferrous gluconate syrup as directed by your doctor.

5. Sudden weight loss

If the weight loss exceeds 10% of the original body weight within three months, one should be wary of recurrence, which is related to the hypermetabolic state of the tumor and nutrient absorption impairment. Along with loss of appetite and muscle atrophy, some patients develop hypoalbuminemia. Nutritionists recommend a high-protein liquid diet, and if necessary, use enteral nutrition powder, compound amino acid injection, fat emulsion injection and other medical nutritional support.

Patients with ovarian cancer should review tumor markers and imaging examinations every 3 months after treatment, pay attention to a low-fat and high-protein diet and maintain moderate exercise. If you experience persistent abdominal pain, abnormal bleeding, or significant weight loss in a short period of time, you must seek medical attention immediately for a pelvic contrast-enhanced CT or PET-CT examination. During treatment, you need to maintain a good attitude and avoid factors such as overwork and reduced immunity.