Identifying signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is notoriously called a ‘silent killer’ because the signs and symptoms of the disease are hard to identify in the early stages. Studies state that women do actually experience symptoms like abdominal bloating, feeling full quickly when eating, pain in the pelvic area, and urinary frequency, but these symptoms are quite vague, which can be easily brushed away as something else.

Catching ovarian cancer in its early stages is extremely important and for that to happen, identifying symptoms and getting a doctor’s opinion becomes necessary, sadly there is no screening test for ovarian cancer at the moment, and a lot of cases are identified in the advanced stages.

Ovarian Cancer in the early stages. When women get to know about the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, and when asked by a doctor about the history of symptoms, most women realize in retrospect they faced related symptoms for some time, and were just too unclear to get an opinion from a doctor.

Though the symptoms of ovarian cancer are mild, studies state four important symptoms that women should look out for, which might indicate early stages.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Bloating of the abdomen

Most women experience abdominal bloating and swelling, which often occurs on a daily basis and gets worse with time. Mild indigestion may be present as well. Pay attention to your waistline and visible bloating. Feeling bloated for a few days is a cause for concern.

Pelvic pressure and pain

Pelvic pain that feels like period cramps are signs of early-stage ovarian cancer. As with bloating, many women normally experience pelvic pain often, especially during their periods. If it persists, especially with a feeling of pressure in your pelvis, see your doctor immediately.

Feeling full quickly while eating

Many women with ovarian cancer in early stages see that they feel full faster after having an average size meal than they did earlier. Weight loss is seen with more advanced ovarian cancers.

Frequent Urination

A lot of women with early ovarian cancer feel the need to urinate frequently, which may be related not only to the pressure on the bladder, but also from tumors, and the hormonal changes, which follow. Some women also feel a strong need to urinate, but soon after sitting on the commode realize that they do not need to go.

There are other symptoms commonly found with ovarian cancer, which occur at an advanced stage, for instance changes in bowel habits, pain with sexual intercourse, fatigue, unintentional weight gain or weight loss. Again, there can be different causes of these, and it is important to see your doctor to determine the right cause.

Always remember that the early symptoms of ovarian cancer, when present, are often subtle, and with each of these symptoms, there are usually other, less harmful conditions that could normally be the cause of it. Tele Consult with our expert doctors at Oncoplus Hospital, Defence Colony, New Delhi, write to us info@oncoplus.co.in or call us at +91 85889 09091 to book an appointment. Anything that seems to that lasts for more than a few days, especially if it is similar to what you’ve read above, is worth discussing with a doctor!

Have you ever felt any of these? Consult the best cancer doctors now