Ovarian Cancer Signs and Symptoms

Every woman has a pair of ovaries which perform two important functions in the body - producing egg and producing female sex hormones that are estrogen and progesterone.



Any uncontrolled or abnormal growth in the normal ovarian cells can produce tumors in one or both ovaries. Awareness of signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer can help to detect the cancer at early stage and thus increase your survival chances.

Researchers used to believe that it is difficult to detect ovarian cancer at an early stage and most of the ovarian cancers are found when they have already reached to an advanced stage or the cancer has spread to other tissues or organs.



But new evidence show that ovarian cancer can be detected at early stage because most of the women do have signs and symptoms at early stage of the disease. However ovarian cancer symptoms signs are sometimes non-specific and may mimic symptoms of some other common conditions like digestive and bladder disorders.



But the key to ensure the signs of ovarian cancer is worsening and persistent signs and symptoms. Symptoms can be on and off or occur in some specific situation, in most of the digestive disorders. But ovarian cancer signs are generally constant with little fluctuation and gradually worsen.

Signs of ovarian cancer

1. An urgency to urinate
2. Abdominal pressure, bloating, fullness or swelling
3. Pain or pelvic discomfort

A woman with ovarian cancer is more likely to consistently experience these three symptoms than other women.

Other symptoms for ovarian cancer includes -

1. Nausea, gas or a feeling of persistent indigestion
2. Any changes in bladder habits like an urgent need to urinate
3. Any changes in bowel habits like unexplained diarrhea or constipation
4. Weight loss or weigh gain that is unexplained or not intentional
5. Appetite loss
6. Pain in the lower back region which gradually gets severe
7. Persistent felling of fatigue or lack of energy and enthusiasm
8. Dyspareunia or pain during intercourse
9. Weight gain especially in the abdominal region, as the abdominal girth increases the clothes may fit tighter around the waist.

Many of these symptoms can occur in other disease conditions, but the key to identify if these are for ovarian cancer is that they are persistent and gradually worsens.



After a woman first notices these ovarian cancer warning signs, a specialist can diagnose the disease within first 3 months, but sometimes the diagnosis can take a longer period of time. An early discovery of the disease can be very helpful in the treatment and survival rates.