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Diseases » Ovarian Cancer » Symptoms

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer



Contents

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Ovarian Cancer includes the 33 symptoms listed below:

Research symptoms & diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer:

Ovarian Cancer: Complications

Read information about complications of Ovarian Cancer.

Diagnostic Testing

Diagnostic testing of medical conditions related to Ovarian Cancer:

Research More About Ovarian Cancer

Do I have Ovarian Cancer?

Ovarian Cancer: Medical Mistakes

Ovarian Cancer: Undiagnosed Conditions

Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical tests related to Ovarian Cancer:

Wrongly Diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Ovarian Cancer includes:

See the full list of 26 alternative diagnoses for Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian Cancer: Research Doctors & Specialists

Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

More about symptoms of Ovarian Cancer:

More information about symptoms of Ovarian Cancer and related conditions:

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

Medical Books Online about Ovarian Cancer

Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Ovarian Cancer are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Ovarian Cancer.

Medical Books Excerpts

Introduction: Malignant Neoplasms

  • "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)

Ovarian cysts

  • "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)

Uterine cancer

  • "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)

Ovarian cancer

  • "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)

Malignant spinal neoplasms

  • "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)

Ovarian cysts

  • "Handbook of Diseases" (2003)

Uterine cancer

  • "Handbook of Diseases" (2003)

Ovarian cancer

  • "Handbook of Diseases" (2003)

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

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Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer.


Ovarian cysts: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Small ovarian cysts (such as follicular cysts) usually don’t produce symptoms unless torsion or rupture causes signs of an acute abdomen (abdominal tenderness, distention, and rigidity). Large or multiple cysts may induce mild pelvic discomfort, low back pain, dyspareunia, or abnormal uterine bleeding secondary to a disturbed ovulatory pattern. Ovarian cysts with torsion induce acute abdominal pain similar to that of appendicitis.

Granulosa-lutein cysts that appear early in pregnancy may grow as large as 2" to 2½"(5 to 6 cm) in diameter and produce unilateral pelvic discomfort and, if rupture occurs, massive intraperitoneal hemorrhage. In nonpregnant women, these cysts may cause delayed menses, followed by prolonged or irregular bleeding. Polycystic ovarian disease may also produce secondary amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, or infertility.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Uterine cancer: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Uterine enlargement, and persistent and unusual premenopausal bleeding, or any postmenopausal bleeding, are the most common indications of uterine cancer. The discharge may at first be watery and blood-streaked, but it gradually becomes more bloody. Other signs or symptoms, such as pain and weight loss, don't appear until the cancer is well advanced.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Ovarian cancer: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Typically, symptoms vary with the size of the tumor. An ovary may grow to considerable size before it produces overt symptoms. Occasionally, in the early stages, ovarian cancer causes vague abdominal discomfort, dyspepsia, and other mild GI disturbances. As it progresses, it causes urinary frequency, constipation, pelvic discomfort, distention, and weight loss. Tumor rupture, torsion, or infection may cause pain, which, in young patients, may mimic appendicitis. Granulosa cell tumors have feminizing effects (such as bleeding between periods in premenopausal women); conversely, arrhenoblastomas have virilizing effects. Advanced ovarian cancer causes ascites, rarely postmenopausal bleeding and pain, and symptoms relating to metastatic sites (most commonly pleural effusions).

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Malignant spinal neoplasms: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Extramedullary tumors produce symptoms by pressing on nerve roots, the spinal cord, and spinal vessels; intramedullary tumors, by destroying the parenchyma and compressing adjacent areas. Because intramedullary tumors may extend over several spinal cord segments, their symptoms are more variable than those of extramedullary tumors.

The following clinical effects are likely with all malignant spinal cord neoplasms:

❑Pain — Most severe directly over the tumor, radiates around the trunk or down the limb on the affected side and is unrelieved by bed rest. It may worsen when lying down or with straining, coughing, or sneezing. Pain can be diffuse, occurring over all extremities. Generally, it progressively worsens and isn't relieved by medication.

❑ Motor symptoms — Asymmetric spastic muscle weakness, decreased muscle tone, exaggerated reflexes, and a positive Babinski's sign. If the tumor is at the level of the cauda equina, muscle flaccidity, muscle wasting, weakness, and progressive diminution in tendon reflexes are characteristic.

❑ Sensory deficits — Contralateral loss of pain, temperature, and touch sensation (Brown-Séquard's syndrome). These losses are less obvious to the patient than functional motor changes. Caudal lesions invariably produce paresthesias in the nerve distribution pathway of the involved roots.

❑Bowel and bladder symptoms — Urine retention is an inevitable late sign with cord compression. Early signs include incomplete emptying or difficulty with the urine stream, which is usually unnoticed or ignored. Cauda equina tumors cause bladder and bowel incontinence due to flaccid paralysis.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Ovarian cysts: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Small ovarian cysts (such as follicular cysts) usually don’t produce symptoms unless torsion or rupture causes signs of an acute abdomen (abdominal tenderness, distention, and rigidity). Large or multiple cysts may induce mild pelvic discomfort, low back pain, dyspareunia, or abnormal uterine bleeding secondary to a disturbed ovulatory pattern. Ovarian cysts with torsion induce acute abdominal pain similar to that of appendicitis.

Granulosa-lutein cysts that appear early in pregnancy may grow as large as 2" to 2½" (5 to 6 cm) in diameter and produce unilateral pelvic discomfort and, if rupture occurs, massive intraperitoneal hemorrhage. In nonpregnant women, these cysts may cause delayed menses, followed by prolonged or irregular bleeding. Polycystic ovarian disease may also produce secondary amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, or infertility.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Uterine cancer: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Uterine enlargement and persistent and unusual premenopausal bleeding, or any postmenopausal bleeding, are the most common indications of uterine cancer. The discharge may at first be watery and blood-streaked but gradually becomes more bloody. Other symptoms, such as pain and weight loss, don’t appear until the cancer is well advanced.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Ovarian cancer: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Typically, symptoms vary with the size of the tumor. Occasionally, in the early stages, ovarian cancer causes vague abdominal discomfort, dyspepsia, and other mild GI disturbances. As it progresses, it causes urinary frequency, constipation, pelvic discomfort, abdominal distention, and weight loss.

Tumor rupture, torsion, or infection may cause pain, which, in young patients, may mimic appendicitis. Granulosa cell tumors have feminizing effects (such as bleeding between periods in premenopausal women); conversely, arrhenoblastomas have virilizing effects. Advanced ovarian cancer causes ascites, rarely postmenopausal bleeding and pain, and symptoms relating to metastatic sites (most commonly pleural effusions).

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer:

Ovarian Cancer: NWHIC (Excerpt)

There are usually no obvious symptoms of ovarian cancer. Women complain about vague symptoms including abdominal swelling or bloating, generalized abdominal discomfort, early satiety, lack of appetite, dyspepsia, malaise, urinary frequency or weight change (either gain or loss). Women may develop unexplained ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity) which contributes to the abdominal discomfort. Because the symptoms are not unique to ovarian cancer, the disease can be difficult to identify and diagnose. (Source: excerpt from Ovarian Cancer: NWHIC)

What You Need To Know About Ovarian Cancer: NCI (Excerpt)

Ovarian cancer often shows no obvious signs or symptoms until late in its development. Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

  • General abdominal discomfort and/or pain (gas, indigestion, pressure, swelling, bloating, cramps)

  • Nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or frequent urination

  • Loss of appetite

  • Feeling of fullness even after a light meal

  • Weight gain or loss with no known reason

  • Abnormal bleeding from the vagina

(Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Ovarian Cancer: NCI)

Ovarian Cancer as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions

When considering symptoms of Ovarian Cancer, it is also important to consider Ovarian Cancer as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Ovarian Cancer may cause:

- (Source - Diseases Database)

Ovarian Cancer as a symptom:

For a more detailed analysis of Ovarian Cancer as a symptom, including causes, drug side effect causes, and drug interaction causes, please see our Symptom Center information for Ovarian Cancer.

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. This signs and symptoms information for Ovarian Cancer has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Ovarian Cancer signs or Ovarian Cancer symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Ovarian Cancer symptoms.


 » Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Ovarian Cancer

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