Lifestyle

Bloating That Doesn’t Go Away Can Be a Sign of Ovarian Cancer. Other Signs Women Over 60 Shouldn’t Ignore

By Mike Harper · October 31, 2026

Bloating is so common that most women shrug it off as something they ate. When it keeps coming back and feels different from what is normal, cancer experts say it deserves a closer look.

The American Cancer Society lists bloating first among the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer. The society says women are more likely to have symptoms once the disease has spread, but that even early-stage ovarian cancer can cause them.

Age matters. According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer mainly develops in older women, and about half of the women diagnosed with it are 63 or older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists being middle-aged or older among the factors that may raise a woman’s risk.

These are the signs listed by the American Cancer Society, the CDC and the National Cancer Institute.

Bloating. It appears on all three lists. The NCI groups it with other digestive problems such as gas and constipation.

Pain or pressure in the belly or pelvis. The cancer society lists pelvic or abdominal pain as a common symptom. The CDC lists pain or pressure in the pelvic area, along with abdominal pain, and the NCI describes pain, swelling or a feeling of pressure in the abdomen or pelvis.

Feeling full quickly. The cancer society lists trouble eating or feeling full quickly, and the CDC describes feeling full too quickly or having difficulty eating.

Changes in urination. Urgency, the feeling of always needing to urinate, and frequency, needing to go often, are both on the cancer society’s list of common symptoms. The NCI lists a sudden or frequent urge to urinate.

Back pain, fatigue and other changes. The cancer society lists fatigue, upset stomach, back pain, pain during sex, constipation, and belly swelling with weight loss as other possible symptoms. The NCI adds a lump in the pelvic area.

Bleeding after menopause. The CDC lists vaginal bleeding, particularly after menopause, or discharge that is not normal for you. The agency says unusual vaginal bleeding calls for seeing a doctor right away.

Many of these symptoms have harmless causes. The American Cancer Society notes they are also commonly caused by benign diseases, and that when ovarian cancer is the cause, they tend to be persistent and a change from normal, happening more often or feeling more severe. The society advises seeing a doctor if the symptoms occur more than 12 times a month. The CDC’s guidance is to see a doctor for any of the other signs that last two weeks or longer and are not normal for you, adding that the only way to know the cause is to see a doctor.

Paying attention to symptoms matters in part because there is no routine test to catch ovarian cancer early. The CDC says there are no screening tests for ovarian cancer in women who do not have signs or symptoms, and that the Pap test does not screen for it. For women with unexplained symptoms, the agency suggests asking a doctor about a diagnostic test such as a rectovaginal pelvic exam, a transvaginal ultrasound or a CA-125 blood test.

The CDC lists other risk factors, including close relatives on either side of the family who have had ovarian cancer, inherited gene changes such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, a past breast, uterine or colorectal cancer, endometriosis, and never having given birth. The agency suggests that women with a family history of ovarian cancer ask their doctor about genetic counseling.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor about any symptoms that are new or don’t go away. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.