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For many Indian women, frequent bloating, pelvic heaviness, sudden loss of appetite or constant fatigue are often blamed on stress, acidity, hormonal imbalance or PCOS. But doctors say this casual dismissal is one reason ovarian cancer is still being diagnosed late in India.

India recorded an estimated 47,000+ new ovarian cancer cases in recent national cancer estimates, making it one of the country’s leading cancers among women. What is more concerning is that while ovarian cancer remains more common after menopause, oncologists are increasingly seeing cases in women in their late 30s and 40s, especially in urban India.

Why the rise? Experts point to a combination of the following.

1. Delayed pregnancies
2. Obesity
3. Sedentary lifestyle
4. Metabolic disorders
5. Fertility-related hormonal exposure
6. Family history, and
7. Low symptom awareness

Recent Indian research has also linked metabolic syndrome- now common in urban women, with a significantly higher risk of gynaecological cancers, including ovarian cancer.

Unlike cervical or breast cancer, ovarian cancer has no reliable routine screening test. That makes symptom recognition the first screening tool. Persistent bloating, abdominal discomfort, feeling full quickly, urinary urgency, unexplained back pain, or menstrual changes lasting over two weeks should not be ignored. Nearly 70–80% of women are diagnosed in advanced stages simply because these symptoms appear deceptively routine.

The message on World Ovarian Cancer Day is simple: ovarian cancer is not always loud, but it is rarely completely silent. If your body feels persistently “off,” it deserves more than home remedies and guesswork.

Dr. Kasturi Baruah
M.D D.M ECMO
Consultant Cancer Physician
MOC Cancer Care & Research Centre, Vashi & Panvel.