• Feeling full after eating only a few bites or loss of appetite
• Diarrhoea, constipation, bowel or rectum feels full, change in bowel habits, constant urge to have a bowel movement, painful or burning bowel movements, rectal pain, painful defecation
• Bloating, distension of abdomen, clothes around the waist feel too tight, feel an abdominal mass
• Weight loss not because of dieting
• Nausea, vomiting, heartburn, gas, burping, indigestion
• Increased urinary frequency, need to urinate urgently, pressure on the bladder, leaking urine, burning sensation when urinating, need to urinate but unable to do so, unable to empty bladder completely, feeling full after urinating
• Vaginal discharge, bleeding, spotting, deep pain on intercourse
• Discomfort or pain in abdomen, pelvic region, or lower back

Symptoms can be vague and variable

Common Misdiagnoses: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or constipation, gastritis, stress, depression and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

There is no screening test (when you don't have symptoms) for ovarian cancer* but if you have symptoms it is easy to test for with a blood test (ca-125) and transvaginal ultrasound. If both tests are negative your doctor might repeat the blood test 4-12 weeks later.**
A cervical smear does not test for ovarian cancer.
It is important to remember most women with symptoms do not have ovarian cancer but if testing does find cancer, early detection will make it easier to treat.

Low grade serous ovarian cancer affects younger women and because it grows slowly symptoms can be subtle which makes it easy for doctors and women to ignore. Even if it is detected early treatment is not always successful which is why supporting low grade serous ovarian cancer research is so important.

See our Support Page and Frequently Asked Questions . You might also want to check out Target Ovarian Cancer's Top 10 Tips for talking to your doctor.

* There is some evidence screening may be of benefit in high risk women if you are known to carry the BRCA mutation. You should speak with your doctor to determine what is appropriate for you.
** as per the Detecting Ovarian Cancer Early (DOvE) study

If your symptoms do not resolve, and your tests are negative for ovarian cancer, speak to your doctor. Other cancers with overlapping symptoms include endometrial cancer, bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer and bladder cancer.