Ovarian cancer symptoms: When your stomach pain is something serious – key signs explained

Jayne Godley reveals she has ovarian cancer

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Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer in the UK, affecting around 7,500 women each year. When left undetected, this type of cancer can quickly spread to other parts of the body – something that is all too common due to its generic symptoms. Often dismissed for other, less serious illnesses, ovarian cancer can be tricky to spot – but these are the key symptoms to look out for.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

According to Cancer Research UK, there are different types of ovarian cancer, including:

• Epithelial ovarian cancer – makes up 90 percent of ovarian cancer diagnoses
• Germ cell ovarian tumours – more common in younger women and girls
• Sex cord stromal tumours – granulosa tumours are most common
• Borderline ovarian tumours – 15 in every 100 ovarian tumours tend to be this kind

While each type of ovarian cancer affects the ovaries differently, Cancer Research UK suggests that the broad range of symptoms often include:

• Feeling constantly bloated
• A swollen tummy
• Stomach discomfort
• Discomfort in the pelvic area
• Feeling full quickly after eating
• Needing to pee more often than usual

Some less common symptoms include vaginal bleeding outside of your periods, pain during or after sex, constipation and irregular periods.

Why is ovarian cancer hard to diagnose?

Vague symptoms associated with ovarian cancer are the most common reason for late diagnoses.

Known as the ‘silent killer’, many early symptoms are often ignored or believed to be related to something else like IBS, ovarian cysts, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), endometriosis or menstrual cramps.

Early detection of this common cancer is particularly difficult, because of the lack of screening tests.

While persistence of the common symptoms are a good indication that something is wrong, there are a few key differences to look out for if you’re concerned about ovarian cancer.

Key signs of ovarian cancer

Distinguishing between less serious conditions and ovarian cancer can seem impossible when vague symptoms are associated with a number of common illnesses.

What’s the difference between ovarian cancer and ovarian cysts?

Fluid-filled sacs known as ovarian cysts are part of the same reproductive organ which is affected by ovarian cancer.

Cysts share all the same symptoms as ovarian cancer, although symptoms are known to come and go in line with your menstrual cycle, said medically accredited website WebMD.

Changes to your menstrual cycle and pain during sex are more common with ovarian cysts than ovarian cancer.

Keep an eye on the frequency of your symptoms and track them in line with your periods and ovulation throughout your menstrual cycle.

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What’s the difference between ovarian cancer symptoms and IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome can wreak havoc on your stomach, causing sharp pains, bloating, swelling and general discomfort – all common signs of ovarian cancer.

Keep an eye on your toilet habits if you are concerned about ovarian cancer as constipation and diarrhoea are more likely to indicate IBS than a cancerous tumour.

Unlike ovarian cancer, IBS will have external triggers like food and stress, so keep track of when your symptoms occur.

Symptoms of Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

PMS is directly linked to your menstrual cycle and is less common in older women who are more at risk of ovarian cancer.

While the physical symptoms of these two conditions overlap, PMS has a clear effect on your mental health and emotions as well as your body.

If your’re experiencing the physical symptoms of ovarian cancer, keep an eye on other changes including your food cravings, sleeping pattern, moods, social urges and sex drive to distinguish between the two.

Common symptoms of endometriosis

Just like ovarian cancer, endometriosis is hard to detect without invasive procedures to look inside the female reproductive organs.

Symptoms of these two common conditions are very similar, though endometriosis is also known to cause severe fatigue, pain when going to the toilet, pain during sex and more extreme toilet habits.

Endometriosis is more likely to affect women at certain points of their menstrual cycle and can trigger severe constipation and diarrhoea – both of which are less commonly associated with ovarian cancer.

Menstrual cramps or ovarian cancer?

Both ovarian cancer and menstrual cramps can cause severe stomach pains and discomfort in the pelvic area.

Menstrual cramps are more easy to set aside from ovarian cancer, as this type of pain is often characterised by throbbing, a dull or continuous ache and a spread of pain to the lower back or legs.

Your symptoms are more likely to be caused by menstrual cramps, if they start a few days before your period and last a few days before passing.

What is ovarian cancer?

Cancer of the ovaries is one of the most common types of cancer in women in the UK.

While the body is naturally made up of billions of cells, clusters of abnormal cells which gather in parts of the body can cause different types of cancer.

Ovarian cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the ovary begin to grow and divide in an uncontrolled manner until they form a tumour.

If ovarian cancer is left undetected, abnormal cells can quickly spread to other parts of the body – though the type of cancer you have will depend on the type of cell it stems from.

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