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Dr. Mohammadreza Dabiriفارسی
Questions and answers

What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Bloating, pelvic pain, feeling full quickly and passing urine often; vague symptoms whose pattern of recurrence matters

Updated: 28 October 20261 min read8 references
Short answer

Ovarian cancer may have no symptoms at first, and when it does cause symptoms the disease is often advanced [5]. Common symptoms: pain, swelling or pressure in the abdomen or pelvis, bloating and an increase in waist size, feeling full quickly or difficulty eating, and urgency or frequency of passing urine [2, 5]. These symptoms are very common and usually have a harmless cause; but if they are new and happen on more than 12 days a month, see your doctor for an examination and ultrasound [2].

Key points

  • The symptoms of ovarian cancer are vague and are often mistaken for digestive problems; this is one reason it is found late [1].
  • In one study, pelvic or abdominal pain, urinary urgency or frequency, an enlarged abdomen or bloating, and difficulty eating or feeling full quickly were linked to ovarian cancer if they had been present for less than a year and occurred on more than 12 days a month [2].
  • Of every 10 women with a BRCA1 mutation, about 4, and with BRCA2 about 2, develop it by age 80 [4].

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

SymptomExplanationWhat to do
Pain, swelling or pressure in the abdomen or pelvisOne of the symptoms [2, 5]If it is new and almost daily, see your doctor
Bloating or an increase in waist sizeOne of the important symptoms [2]Have new bloating that persists checked
Difficulty eating or feeling full quicklyOne of the symptoms [2, 5]If it continues, see your doctor
Urgency or frequency of passing urineOne of the symptoms [2, 5]If it is not a urine infection and it continues, see your doctor
A lump in the pelvisOne of the symptoms [5]See your doctor for an examination
Digestive problems such as wind, bloating or constipationOne of the symptoms [5]If it continues, see your doctor

This table does not replace an examination by a doctor; in most people these symptoms have a benign cause.

The path to diagnosis

  1. 1

    First assessment

    History, pelvic examination, a CA-125 blood test and a pelvic ultrasound by an experienced operator [6].

  2. 2

    CT scan

    Of the chest, abdomen and pelvis to see how far the disease has spread [6].

  3. 3

    Firm diagnosis

    By testing a sample taken at surgery or by biopsy [6].

  4. 4

    Genetic testing

    BRCA testing is recommended for most patients [6]. Read more: Ovarian cancer

When should I call my doctor?

Occasional bloating or abdominal pain is very common and usually has a simple cause. But if these symptoms are new, happen almost every day and last for several weeks — especially after age 50 or if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer — see your doctor for an examination and ultrasound.

Sudden, severe abdominal or pelvic pain needs urgent care.

Related questions

Does a high CA-125 mean I have ovarian cancer?

Not necessarily. A high tumour marker does not mean cancer, and non-cancerous conditions also raise it [7]. CA-125 is used alongside ultrasound to assess suspicious pelvic masses in postmenopausal women and to follow patients [8].

Is a yearly CA-125 test and ultrasound useful for all women?

No. In a large UK study of more than 200,000 postmenopausal women, yearly testing did not lower deaths from ovarian cancer [3]. Women at high risk (such as BRCA carriers) have a separate plan.

Related cancer types

Ovarian cancer

Related questions

Is cancer hereditary?What is a tumour marker and when is it useful?

References

8 references
Show all references, 6 with a study cardClose the reference list

Numbers in the text, such as [1], refer to these sources. Sources with a “Study card” button are summarised in the site’s evidence library.

  1. 1
    Transforming treatment paradigms: Focus on personalized medicine for high-grade serous ovarian cancerKordowitzki P, Lange B, Elias KM, Haigis MC, Mechsner S, Braicu IE, et al · CA Cancer J Clin · 2025;75:436-460
    Study cardDOIPubMed Back to text
  2. 2
    Development of an ovarian cancer symptom indexGoff BA, Mandel LS, Drescher CW, Urban N, Gough S, Schurman KM, et al · Cancer · 2007;109:221-227
    Study cardDOI Back to text: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  3. 3
    Ovarian cancer population screening and mortality after long-term follow-up in the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS): a randomised controlled trialMenon U, Gentry-Maharaj A, Burnell M, Singh N, Ryan A, Karpinskyj C, et al · Lancet · 2021;397:2182-2193
    Study cardDOIPubMed Back to text
  4. 4
    Risks of Breast, Ovarian, and Contralateral Breast Cancer for BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation CarriersKuchenbaecker KB, Hopper JL, Barnes DR, Phillips KA, Mooij TM, Roos-Blom MJ, et al · JAMA · 2017;317:2402-2416
    Study cardDOIPubMed Back to text
  5. 5
    Ovarian Epithelial, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancers Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient VersionNational Cancer Institute · cancer.gov
    Source Back to text: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  6. 6
    Pan-Asia adapted ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline for the management of patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed epithelial ovarian cancerNag S, Ray Coquard I, Gupta S, Pathak A, Li N, Mulya Sari R, et al · ESMO Open · 2025;10:105125
    Study cardDOIPubMed Back to text: 1 2 3 4
  7. 7
    Tumor MarkersNational Cancer Institute · cancer.gov
    Source Back to text
  8. 8
    National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines for Use of Tumor Markers in Testicular, Prostate, Colorectal, Breast, and Ovarian CancersSturgeon CM, Duffy MJ, Stenman UH, Lilja H, Brünner N, Chan DW, et al · Clinical Chemistry · 2008;54:e11-e79
    Study cardDOI Back to text

This page is based on reputable scientific sources and was last updated on 28 October 2026. The content of this website is for educational and informational purposes only and does not replace consultation, diagnosis or treatment by a specialist physician. Consult your treating physician about any treatment decision.

Printed from the website; the full and up-to-date version: https://drdabiri.com/en/questions/symptoms-of-ovarian-cancer/

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