Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Often Missed Until Advanced Stage

Last fall an 11-year-old boy and his mother sat at a dining table in their sunroom. The mother kept distance because of low immunity while they ate dinner. Six months earlier a doctor had called with test results described as suspicious for malignancy.

The woman had experienced fatigue, bloating and light bleeding but had not pursued care. She later received an ovarian cancer diagnosis during surgery. The American Cancer Society estimates more than 21,000 women in the United States will receive a new ovarian cancer diagnosis this year and about 12,450 will die from the disease.

Its five-year relative survival rate is about 50 percent.

Ovarian cancer symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, irregular bleeding, pelvic discomfort, changes in appetite and bowel habits, fatigue and back pain. These signs are often attributed to other conditions, which can delay testing. Nearly 80 percent of cases are diagnosed at Stage 3 or 4 after the cancer has spread.

A 2024 Deloitte survey found that 50 percent of women respondents had skipped or delayed health care services in the past year. Women were 50 percent more likely than men to postpone appointments due to long wait times. The woman described feeling a sharp pain during a college lecture and later noticing abdominal swelling that resembled a pregnancy.

She sent a message to her doctor after considering whether to keep the appointment. She recalled earlier episodes of unusual bleeding that she had dismissed. Both instances involved minimal spotting over short periods.