Ovarian Cancer Symptoms

Ovarian cancer symptoms vary from person to person. In most cases, no symptoms show themselves until the disease has advanced to later stages. Often by the time a patient presents for treatment, it is already too late; therefore, you should visit a medical professional immediately if you experience this constellation of symptoms.

Excretory abnormality

Abnormality in both urination and defecation are far more common in a sample of women with ovarian cancer than in a control group without cancer. Common symptoms of ovarian cancer you may experience include urgent or frequent urination, persistent gas, diarrhea, and constipation.

Symptoms related to eating

A related class of symptoms are those related to eating. If you have ovarian cancer, you may simply never feel hungry. When you do eat, you often quickly feel full and easily develop indigestion and bloating that does not respond to over-the-counter medications.

Pelvic area symptoms

Many women with ovarian cancer experience symptoms around the pelvic area. You may have pain in the back of the legs or near the vagina. Pain during sex is another common complaint, while vaginal bleeding not associated with menstruation is seen somewhat more rarely.

Other ovarian cancer symptoms

There are a few other rare symptoms you should watch out for. For example, a small number of patients report trouble breathing, while others have tremors and abnormal reflex responses.

At the present time, there is often not much that can be done for the average ovarian cancer patient. Five-year survival rates are extremely low for this type of cancer, so you should insist on regular screenings after age 40 (age 35 if there is a family history) as an essential prevention tool.