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.