5 Things You Need to Know About Ovarian Cancer

"It's a relatively rare cancer, but gets so much attention because it's so deadly. We consider it the worst of the gynecologic cancers," says Molly Brewer, M.D., professor of gynecologic oncology at the University of Connecticut Health Center and spokesperson for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Here are her five tips on protecting yourself against ovarian cancer.

1. Know your risk factors. Anyone can get ovarian cancer, but you should be extra watchful if you have any of the following.

• Either a family history of ovarian, breast, endometrial or colon cancer -- particularly if these cancers occurred in someone under 40 -- or the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 genes. These are the most important predictors of your risk for ovarian cancer and warrant a referral to a cancer genetic counselor.
• Age, especially if you're over 50
• Uninterrupted ovulation (you never stopped ovulating because of pregnancy or infertility)
• Obesity
• Hormone replacement therapy

2. Pay attention to your body. Recent research shows that ovarian cancer might not be the symptomless "silent killer" it was once thought to be. In fact, 95 percent of women with ovarian cancer report having symptoms. Here's the problem: Many signs of ovarian cancer also signal common digestive disorders. The difference is that while digestive disorders generally flare up, then disappear, ovarian cancer symptoms are more persistent and worsen over time.

• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Urinary symptoms (you have to urinate more frequently and/or urgently)
• Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
• Unexplained weight changes
• Unusual fatigue
• Abnormal postmenopausal bleeding