5 Signs of Ovarian Cancer You Need To Know

Women diagnosed with the disease share some of the first symptoms they felt. Knowing these red flags could save your life.

- Anthea Levi

ONE DAY, IN THE SUMMER of 2014, Alicia Dellario noticed she had the urge to pee more than usual. “I drink a lot of water, so I’m always going to the bathroom, but this was escalated,” she recalls. “I assumed I had a UTI because I knew it was a symptom.” But when antibiotics didn’t ease her discomfort, she went back to the doctor. At age 50, Alicia was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer.

Frequent urination is one of a handful of subtle warning signs of this deadly disease. The early effects of ovarian cancer tend to be vague and easily dismissed (like frequent peeing), which is one reason ovarian tumors often go undetected. So when changes in your body develop suddenly, it’s important to pay attention. “If you have abnormal symptoms that are persistent or getting worse for two weeks or more, they’re worth getting checked out,” says Douglas A. Levine, MD, director of gynecologic oncology at NYU’s Perlmutter Cancer Center. Here, Dellario and four other women describe the first clues that let them know something was off.

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