Ovarian cancer is the silent killer. It is highly treatable when found in the early stages, but very few women realize they have the disease until it has progressed to a late, and often fatal, stage. Unlike cervical cancer and breast cancer, there are no routine lab tests or body scans to screen healthy women for cancer in their ovaries. Now, doctors have some good news. Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that women who have ovarian cancer consistently report a specific cluster of symptoms, including:

• increased bloating and abdominal size
• increased pressure or urgency to urinate
• pelvic pain

The study found that almost 50 percent of the women with ovarian cancer experienced this cluster of symptoms, while just 10 percent of women without ovarian cancer noticed similar symptoms. Women with ovarian tumors also had these symptoms with greater intensity and increased frequency -sometimes 20 to 30 times per month-than the other women. The symptoms tended to go away within three to six months in women who did not have ovarian tumors, while they didn't abate in women with cancer.

Don't panic if you have these symptoms. It is very likely they signal another benign condition. Many women develop non-cancerous cysts on their ovaries that disappear without treatment. But do speak up. Make an appointment to talk with your doctor. The five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 94 percent, if it is diagnosed before it spreads.