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There's no simple test to diagnose ovarian cancer, however US doctors have developed a list of four symptoms that should be investigated. About one in 70 women will develop ovarian cancer in their lifetime and while unfortunately many won't survive the first five years, over 90 per cent will if the tumour is caught before it's broken out of the ovary. But that's a minority of women and it's still not clear whether early diagnosis truly means longer survival or just finding out you have ovarian cancer earlier, meaning you don't get a longer life - just more years living with the diagnosis. Even so, unlike breast or bowel cancer, there are no good screening tests for ovarian cancer. What may help though is a simple list of four symptoms which several US cancer organisations have said should raise suspicion. They are: bloating in your abdomen; pain in your abdomen or pelvis; difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and urinary urgency and frequency. If you're experiencing these daily for a few weeks then see your GP who'll probably order an ultrasound as the first step. The good and bad news is that these are common symptoms in everyone. It's good news because you're very likely not to have ovarian cancer. It may be bad news because the gynaecologists and cancer specialists with a good knowledge of ovarian cancer might be swamped by the numbers of women coming forward for assessment.
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