OVARIAN CANCER may present SYMPTOMS after all

There’s no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer. That fact, coupled with the belief that the disease usually gives no warning signs, has led to ovarian cancer’s reputation as a “silent killer.”  It is typically discovered only after it has reached an advanced and incurable stage. But new evidence challenges the assumption of silence and offers women a short list of symptoms that may raise a red flag. The symptoms are:

• bloating
• pelvic or abdominal pain
• difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• urgent or frequent urination.

A woman who experiences any of these symptoms almost every day for several weeks—especially if the feeling is new—should see her doctor (preferably a gynecologist) for a pelvic and a rectal exam. If any ovarian abnormalities are found, an ultrasound may be performed.