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Early ovarian cancers tend to cause vague symptoms that can make the disease difficult to recognize. The most common symptom of this disease is back pain, which is often followed by:

• Fatigue
• Bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Urinary urgency

In 2007, several organizations, including the American Cancer Society, formalized a list of early symptoms for ovarian cancer, including bloating, feeling full quickly after eating, abdominal pain and urinary urgency. Any woman who experiences these symptoms daily for more than a few weeks should consult her physician. Additional symptoms, which tend to occur in more advanced stages of ovarian cancer, include:

• Swelling of the abdomen for a prolonged period (due to fluid accumulation or a mass)
  
• Abdominal cramping
  
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
  
• Leg pain

Additionally, patients with stromal tumors may experience the following symptoms associated with excess female and male hormones:

• Vaginal bleeding after menopause
  
• Menstrual periods in young girls
  
• Development of breasts in young girls
  
• Disrupted menstrual periods
  
• Growth of facial and body hair

Many of these symptoms can be caused by other, less serious disorders. However, women who experience any of these symptoms should immediately notify their physician.