Ovarian cancer: symptoms, signs, screening and how to help
Published in recognition of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Ovarian cancer doesn’t always look the way people expect cancer to look. Bloating, changes in appetite or pelvic discomfort can have many explanations, which can make it difficult to know when something deserves a closer look.
That’s one reason Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, observed each September, matters. It’s a time to learn more about ovarian cancer symptoms and signs, understand factors that may affect risk, and learn about prevention options. Because there’s no reliable screening test for people at average risk who don’t have symptoms, knowing your risk and recognizing possible symptoms is especially important. Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is also a further opportunity to materially support people living with the disease.
Ovarian cancer is among the leading causes of cancer death in women in the United States. Knowing more about ovarian cancer can’t tell someone whether they have it, but it can help people recognise changes they want to discuss with a healthcare provider.
Understanding ovarian cancer
The ovaries sit on either side of the uterus and produce eggs, along with hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Ovarian cancer can develop when cells in or around these organs begin growing abnormally.
Ovarian cancer isn’t a single disease. Different types begin in different cells, and those differences can influence how the cancer behaves and how it’s treated. The Ovarian Cancer Research Association (OCRA) indicates that most ovarian cancers are epithelial cancers, while less common forms can begin in cells involved in egg production or in the tissue supporting the ovaries.
What can increase the risk of ovarian cancer?
Researchers haven’t identified one single cause of ovarian cancer. Instead, risk is connected to a combination of factors, including inherited factors and factors related to age, health, or reproductive history.
According to Cancer.org, factors associated with increased risk include:
- Age. Most cases are diagnosed after menopause, typically in women over 50.
- Inherited gene mutations. Changes in BRCA1 or BRCA2 can substantially increase lifetime risk. Lynch syndrome is also associated with increased risk.
- Family and personal cancer history. Ovarian, breast, or colorectal cancer in a close relative can be relevant, as can a personal history of breast cancer. The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance has a free genetic testing program for those who may be at increased risk for ovarian cancer, especially people with a family history of cancer.
- Reproductive history. Never having been pregnant or having a first pregnancy later in life has been associated with somewhat higher risk.
- Ancestry. Women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent have a higher prevalence of BRCA mutations, which can increase ovarian cancer risk.
Risk factors tell only part of the story. Someone may have several and never develop ovarian cancer, while another person may be diagnosed without any of them.
If your family or personal history raises questions, a healthcare provider or genetic counselor can help you understand what those factors may mean for you.
If you are at average risk for developing ovarian cancer, you can still talk to your doctor about prevention options. Research shows that many high-grade serous ovarian cancers start in the fallopian tubes. For some people, removing the fallopian tubes during another planned pelvic surgery may lower the risk of ovarian cancer while leaving the ovaries in place.
Ovarian cancer symptoms and signs to know
One challenge with ovarian cancer symptoms is how ordinary they can seem. Bloating or feeling full quickly, for example, can happen for many reasons.
What may be more important is noticing a change from what’s normal for you, particularly when it persists.
Possible signs of ovarian cancer include:
- Persistent bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Feeling full quickly or having difficulty eating normally
- Needing to urinate more urgently or frequently
- Unexplained changes in bowel habits
- Persistent fatigue
- Unintentional weight loss
- Back pain without a clear cause
Experiencing one of these symptoms doesn’t mean you have ovarian cancer. But a new or persistent change is worth discussing with a healthcare provider rather than trying to diagnose the cause yourself.
Is there a screening test for ovarian cancer?
This is where ovarian cancer differs from cancers with established routine screening programs.
For people at average risk who don’t have symptoms, there is currently no reliable ovarian cancer screening test recommended for routine use.
People with a higher inherited or family risk may have different conversations with their healthcare providers. Depending on someone’s circumstances, evaluation can involve genetic testing, transvaginal ultrasound or a blood test known as CA-125.
What does the CA-125 test tell you?
A CA-125 test measures cancer antigen 125, a protein found in the blood. Levels can be elevated in some people with ovarian cancer; however, an elevated CA-125 result doesn’t automatically indicate a diagnosis. Other health conditions can affect the result too.
That’s why CA-125 isn’t used on its own as a routine screening test for people at average risk. A healthcare provider can explain when the test may be useful and what a result means in the context of someone’s individual health and risk.
How ovarian cancer treatment may differ from person to person
There isn’t one treatment path that applies to every ovarian cancer diagnosis. The type of cancer, its stage, and other individual factors help a care team determine which options to consider.
Surgery is an important part of treatment for many people. It may be used to remove as much of the cancer as possible and help establish how far it has spread.
Chemotherapy is also commonly used. It may follow surgery or, in some circumstances, be given beforehand. Certain diagnoses may also have options such as targeted therapy or hormone therapy.
Questions about ovarian cancer treatment are best answered by the healthcare team familiar with an individual’s diagnosis. They can explain the goals, potential benefits, and risks of each option.
Ways to make Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month meaningful
Learning the symptoms is one way to participate in Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Helping someone affected by the disease can take many other forms too.
You could:
- Share information worth knowing. Point friends and family toward trusted information about ovarian cancer symptoms, risk and screening.
- Make everyday life a little easier. Meals, transportation, childcare, or help with errands can give someone more room to focus on treatment and recovery.
- Support an ovarian cancer fundraiser. A contribution can help someone move closer to their fundraising goal.
- Bring your community together. Starting a fundraiser can give people a practical way to support a loved one facing ovarian cancer.
- Support research and advocacy. Organizations working on ovarian cancer research, education, and patient support offer another way to help.
Find ovarian cancer fundraisers
A diagnosis can affect much more than someone’s health. Appointments, treatment, travel, and time away from work can change everyday life for patients and the people around them.
Explore fundraisers from people and families affected by ovarian cancer. You can contribute, share a story with others or start a fundraiser for someone in your community.
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Organizations supporting people affected by ovarian cancer
For some people, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is also a time to support work that reaches beyond one individual fundraiser. Organizations across the country are funding research, providing patient resources and advocating for people affected by ovarian cancer.
Here are three organizations you can support through GoFundMe.
1. Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance
The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) is the world’s largest organization dedicated to fighting ovarian cancer and all gynecologic cancers on all fronts, supporting patients and loved ones through research, advocacy, education, and patient support. OCRA works to advance science, promote preventive measures, and help patients and families find information and care resources.
2. The Breasties
The Breasties creates community for people impacted by breast and gynecologic cancers, including survivors, previvors, thrivers, and caregivers. Through peer-to-peer connection, resources, and advocacy, The Breasties helps people feel supported at different points in their cancer experience.
3. Teal Ribbon Ovarian Cancer
Teal Ribbon Ovarian Cancer focuses on ovarian cancer awareness, early detection education, patient support, caregiver support, and community outreach. Its work helps more people learn about ovarian cancer, recognize possible signs, and find guidance when they need support.
You can donate directly to all of these organizations, or start a fundraiser to support their research, education, and awareness work.
Help can take many forms
Treatment can reshape routines for months at a time. Alongside medical care, someone may be managing travel to specialists, time away from work, childcare, and other expenses.
Friends, relatives, and communities often want to help but aren’t sure where to begin. A fundraiser can create one place where people can contribute, share updates and rally around someone they care about.
This September, consider finding an ovarian cancer fundraiser that speaks to you. Reading someone’s story, sharing it, or contributing toward their goal are all ways to show up.
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month starts with awareness, but it doesn’t have to end there. Learning what to look for, sharing trustworthy information, and supporting someone affected by ovarian cancer can turn knowledge into something practical.
Sources and further reading
For medically reviewed information about ovarian cancer, visit:
| Organization | Resource |
| National Cancer Institute (NCI) | Ovarian cancer information and risk factors |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | Ovarian cancer symptoms and screening |
| American Cancer Society (ACS) | Ovarian cancer treatment and staging |
| Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) | Patient and caregiver resources |
This article is for general educational purposes and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or, treatment. If you have questions about ovarian cancer symptoms, risk or screening, talk with a qualified healthcare provider.