In the US, ovarian cancer, also known as the cancer of the ovary, is the ninth most prevalent type of cancer. Every year, there are 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, this cancer is the fifth leading cause of death from cancer in women. Though it does not showcase any clear symptoms in the early stages, there will always be subtle early warning signs of ovarian cancer, which are listed as follows.

• Persistent pain
  The constant feeling of pressure on the pelvis and abdomen and the back pain, which lasts you for weeks, could signal a problem. So, if you are experiencing such a pain for the first time, and it does not seem to go away, you should not ignore it.

• Bloating
  At some point in time or another, almost every woman experiences bloating. Bloating can be understood as a weird sense of fullness in the stomach. Feeling bloated a few days ahead of your menstrual cycle is normal and common. But, if this feeling does not seem to go away for about three weeks, it could be a sign of an underlying problem. A continual sense of fullness is one of the most prevalent and common early warning signs of ovarian cancer. Furthermore, if there is swelling in the stomach in addition to bloating, it is a clear red flag and should not be ignored.

• Constipation
  When you experience any alterations in your otherwise regular bowel habits, which does not go away with an intervention, it could be a sign of ovarian cancer.

• Not feeling hungry
  A common symptom of ovarian cancer is difficulty in eating. However, in addition to this, if you are facing a problem in eating even the small portions or if you feel full instantly, it could be a warning sign of ovarian cancer. So, anytime you cannot complete meals or portion size usual to your diet, you must see a doctor.

• Changes in the bladder functions
  Usually, when a woman experiences urinary issues like pain while urinating, incontinence, or uncontrolled urgency, or changes in the frequency of peeing, they automatically relate it to a UTI (Urinary tract infection). Well, in most cases, it may be that, but in some instances, it could be a sign of a reproductive or gynecologic problem, such as ovarian cancer. Some of the specific changes in the urinary function related to ovarian cancer are as follows.

• Sudden and uncontrollable urge to pee
• Frequent peeing
• A constant feeling of pain or pressure on the bladder

So, if any of these listed urinary symptoms seem new over last over a few days, it could indicate a problem. You should speak to your gynecologist and get a screening done immediately.

Other signs of ovarian cancer
In addition to the signs and symptoms listed above, there could be a few other ovarian cancer symptoms, such as the following.

• Indigestion
• Menstrual irregularities
• Fatigue
• Painful intercourse
• Heartburn
• Dermatomyositis