Subtle Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer often is characterized by symptoms so subtle that they often go unnoticed until the cancer has spread elsewhere. Most women who develop ovarian cancer get a diagnosis only when their cancer is far advanced.

Knowing the subtle symptoms of ovarian cancer and talking to your doctor when you do have potential signs of ovarian cancer can make the difference in your long-term health.

Dominic Schaut, DO, an OBGYN with Franciscan Physician Network Obstetrics & Gynecology Lafayette, discusses many of the subtle symptoms of ovarian cancer and how ovarian cancer can be diagnosed.

Key Takeaways: Ovarian Cancer Symptoms

• Early ovarian cancer symptoms for women can include bloating, pain and more frequent bathroom breaks.
• Your doctor will give you a pelvic exam to check for lumps or swelling around the ovaries, along with some imaging.
• Ovarian cancer often can be cured if it’s caught at early stages.

Common Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer

“In the medical field, we’ve often thought of ovarian cancer as a silent cancer, without any obvious symptoms,” said Dr. Schaut. “We’re trying to rewrite that book because there are actually symptoms attributed to ovarian cancer.”

Early symptoms of ovarian cancer

“Early on, ovarian cancer symptoms can seem vague: frequent urination, new back pain, fatigue, and what I would categorize as ‘I'm not eating comfortably,’” Dr. Schaut said. “If you're not eating well, you're having a change in your energy level, frequent urination and back pain, those can be symptoms of ovarian cancer. It's not necessarily going to be sharp pain.”

If you consistently experience several of the following symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor to be on the safe side:

• Bloating, fullness, and pressure in the abdomen
• Pain in the abdomen, pelvis or lower back
• Unexplained changes in your bowel movements
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain, particularly weight gain in the abdomen
• Frequent or urgent urination
• Fatigue
• Pain during intercourse

If you've experienced bloating, pelvic pressure, urinary changes or feeling full quickly for more than two weeks, schedule an appointment with your provider.

Dr. Schaut said women should not be quick to dismiss potential symptoms of ovarian cancer.

“When it comes to those more general symptoms, if you're having frequent urination, usually you'll get treated with antibiotics, and you'll feel better,” he said. “If the symptoms come back, and there isn't a good explanation, then a pelvic exam needs to be done.”

Later symptoms of ovarian cancer

“As the cancer advances, the symptoms become more obvious,” Dr. Schaut said. “There's more pressure, discomfort, difficulty passing your stool, but the early symptoms often are symptoms that women can continue to experience.”

Changes in urination habits, low back or pelvic pain, and bloating are common symptoms in women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

“They often report that they’ve had increased urinary frequency in the preceding six to 12 months,” said Dr. Schaut. “This increased frequency can make a woman wonder if it’s a bladder or urinary tract infection and whether she needs antibiotics.” Sometimes women will get antibiotics, and though the symptoms lessen, they return.

Other common symptoms of ovarian cancer include:

• Feelings of bloating or swelling in the abdomen
• Pelvic and abdominal pain
• Feeling full quickly
• Pain during intercourse
• Menstrual changes.

How Will My Doctor Check For Ovarian Cancer?

To check for ovarian cancer, you'll first have a pelvic exam. Your doctor will examine the area around your ovaries for unusual lumps and will check the ovaries themselves to see if they're swollen.

You may have a CT scan, ultrasound, or one of the other tests that provide your doctor with an image of your internal organs.

A surgical procedure called a laparotomy may be used to confirm the presence of ovarian cancer.

If I Am Diagnosed With Ovarian Cancer, What Happens Next?

Ovarian cancer treatment will depend on the cancer stage, your age and your overall health and symptoms. Treatment usually includes a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

Common treatments for ovarian cancer include:

• Surgery: The primary treatment for ovarian cancer is surgery. The type of surgery depends on the cancer stage, and it may involve removing one or both ovaries, the fallopian tubes and the uterus.
• Chemotherapy: Medicine to help eliminate cancer cells, often used after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence.
• Radiation therapy: Intense energy used to eliminate any microscopic cancer cells, often used if chemotherapy fails or if cancer has spread.
• Targeted therapy: Medicine used to target specific molecules in cancer cells to treat recurrent or advanced ovarian cancer.

Can Ovarian Cancer Be Cured?

The good news is ovarian cancer can be cured if caught early. Women diagnosed at an early stage of the disease (they make up about 20 percent of all cases) are ordinarily treated successfully. According to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, most of women are cured.

What is the survival rate for ovarian cancer?

If ovarian cancer is caught early, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent.

Unfortunately for women diagnosed in the later stages of the disease, the survival rate can be as low as 29 percent. About 12,450 deaths are attributed to ovarian cancer each year.

Frequently Asked Questions: Ovarian Cancer Symptoms

Can ovarian cancer cause bloating?

Some women may experience bloating as an early ovarian cancer symptom. Because bloating can have many causes, it’s important to talk to your doctor if your bloating is severe, persistent, out of the ordinary or has no obvious explanation.

Does ovarian cancer cause back pain?

“Many women with ovarian cancer do have low back pain. The key is it's different,” Dr. Schaut said. “There's something that's changed in the discomfort in your back. You have to have an awareness of how your body functions. Back pain is a symptom to share with your primary care provider, and they can perform the appropriate exam and schedule testing as needed. If there's something different, lean into that. Don't ignore it.”