Women Alerted to Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

In an effort to dispel the belief that ovarian cancer has few early symptoms, experts are urging women to acquaint themselves with an array of common conditions associated with one of the deadliest types of cancer. The new guidelines acknowledge for the first time that late diagnosis is not a given, opening up the possibility of earlier testing and treatment.

A lead researcher cautions that sudden onset and persistence for two weeks or longer can help distinguish the symptoms—bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, eating trouble, and frequent need to urinate—from both chronic and acute conditions. "We don't want to scare people," she told the Times, adding that early diagnosis is crucial because ovarian cancer is so aggressive. (More ovarian cancer stories.)