The symptoms are subtle, but recognizable. Listen to your body and insist that your doctor take your symptoms seriously.

Symptoms are often vague and easily confused with other diseases, and they can be very subtle. Early recognition of symptoms is the best way to save women's lives. Early symptoms to be aware of ( and often these symptoms co-exist ) include:

Pelvic or abdominal cramping, swelling or pain

Persistent gastrointestinal problems

Nausea, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea

Gas, bloating, a feeling of fullness

Urgency or frequency of urination

Menstrual disorders

Unexplained weight gain or loss

Pain during intercourse

On-going fatigue and backaches

While most women have these symptoms from time to time, you know when something is not normal. Please take the action of seeing a doctor and ask about ovarian cancer if any of these symptoms last more than 2-3 weeks.

NOTE: 78% of patients with early stage ovarian cancer diagnosis report these symptoms: most commonly abdominal or pelvic pain (35%), bloatedness (32%) and vaginal bleeding (20%).



Testing for Ovarian Cancer
If neither you nor your doctor knows why you are continually having the symptoms above, ask your doctor to have these important tests to help you rule out ovarian cancer.

A gynecologic oncologist ( a specialist in reproductive cancers) is best able to diagnose or rule out ovarian cancer. Although there is no reliable screening test for the early detection of ovarian cancer, it does not pay to ignore the above symptoms. And do not rely on the Pap smear for detection, as it only checks for cervical cancer.

Bimanual pelvic exam

The pelvic exam includes feeling the uterus, vagina, ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, and rectum to find any abnormality in their shape or size.

Ca125 blood test

CA-125 assay is a blood test used to measure the level of CA-125, a tumor marker that is often found in higher-than-normal amounts in the blood of women with ovarian cancer. (If it comes back elevated, ask your doctor to repeat this test monthly for several months. If it comes back progressively more elevated each time, even if the values are low, this is an indication that the condition could very likely be serious.)

Transvaginal ultrasound.

Ultrasound refers to the use of high-frequency sound waves. These waves, which cannot be heard by humans, are aimed at the ovaries. The pattern of the echoes they produce creates a picture called a sonogram. Healthy tissues, fluid-filled cysts, and tumors look different on this picture.

Lower GI series, or barium enema

This is a series of x-rays of the colon and rectum. The pictures are taken after the patient is given an enema with a white, chalky solution containing barium. The barium outlines the colon and rectum on the x-ray, making tumors or other abnormal areas easier to see.

CT (or CAT) scan

This test is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.