Ovarian Cancer Symptoms All Women Must Know

Ovarian cancer has been called a silent killer. This year alone, ovarian cancer will claim the lives of over 15,000 women according to the American Cancer Society. While women over 55 are at the highest risk for developing this cancer, it's been known to strike women as young as 20 years old.

It is the 8th most common cancer in women and has elusive symptoms, symptoms that in the past many women have simply ignored. According to the American Cancer Society, when this cancer is detected and treated early, and the cancer has not spread outside the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is 93%.

For years, physicians' didn't have a list of possible symptoms to pass along to women to help fight the battle against ovarian cancer. That's changing thanks to cancer researchers at the University of California at Davis School of Medicine and the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF).

All women should know the symptoms that can be indicative of ovarian cancer because one of the most important strategies to successfully battle cancer is to detect it early. The GCF, composed of physicians that specialize in cancer, has released the following potential symptoms that women who have ovarian cancer may have. It's difficult to diagnose ovarian cancer because the symptoms point to nearly anything in abdomen area!

It is important to remember that while all women may have these symptoms from time to time, the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation states that women with these symptoms should be checked by a physician when they occur daily or nearly every day.

The symptoms identified by the GCF include:

• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

Since these sound like pretty general symptoms, most women simply dismiss them. They shouldn't. Even though the symptoms seem pretty general, women need to discuss these with their doctor and may need a pelvic exam. Hopefully they won't have ovarian cancer, but there could be another problem brewing that causes these to happen on a daily or near-daily basis.