Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is most common in women and anyone with ovaries who has been through the menopause (usually over the age of 50). It can affect women and anyone with ovaries of any age.

As the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be similar to those of other conditions, it can be difficult to recognise. However, there are early symptoms to look out for, such as persistent bloating, pain in the pelvis and lower stomach, and difficulty eating.

It’s important to speak to your GP if you experience these symptoms, particularly over a long period of time. Read more about how ovarian cancer is diagnosed.

The ovaries are a pair of small organs in the female reproductive system that contain and release an egg once a month. This is known as ovulation.

Different types of ovarian cancer affect different parts of the ovaries. Epithelial ovarian cancer, which affects the surface layers of the ovary, is the most common type. This topic focuses on epithelial ovarian cancer.

Symptoms

The symptoms of ovarian cancer can be difficult to recognise, particularly in its early stages.

This is because they are often the same as symptoms of other less serious conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS).

However, 3 main symptoms are more frequent:

increased abdominal size and persistent bloating (not bloating that comes and goes) persistent pelvic and abdominal pain difficulty eating and feeling full quickly, or feeling nauseous

Other symptoms, such as back pain, needing to pass urine more frequently than usual, and pain during sex may be the result of other conditions in the pelvic area. However, they may be a sign of ovarian cancer.

If you have these types of symptoms, try keeping a diary to record how many of these symptoms you have over a longer period. Bear in mind that ovarian cancer is rare in women and anyone with ovaries under 40 years of age.

Speak to your GP if you have these symptoms regularly (on most days for 3 weeks or more). Although it’s unlikely they’re being caused by a serious problem, it’s best to check.

If you’ve already seen your GP and the symptoms continue or get worse, you should go back and explain this. You know your body better than anyone.