Could It Be Cancer? Key Symptoms Women Shouldn't Ignore

When it comes to cancer prevention, many women are already taking important steps to protect their health. Scheduling annual mammograms, keeping up with gynecological exams and seeing a primary care provider regularly are all essential.

Often, however, there’s a tool that is overlooked: knowing what’s normal for your body and recognizing when something changes.

While screening tests can help detect some cancers early, not every cancer has a routine screening option. In many cases, the first sign that something is wrong is a symptom that you notice on your own.

“It’s important for women to know what’s typical for them and their bodies,” says Dr. Eve A. Ashby, a board-certified OBGYN physician who sees patients at Beaufort Memorial Lowcountry Medical Group Specialty Care. “If something is concerning you, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider. Most symptoms are caused by conditions other than cancer, but early evaluation is always the best approach."

Why Early Detection Matters

Many cancers are highly treatable when diagnosed early. Recognizing warning signs and seeking prompt medical attention can lead to earlier diagnosis, more treatment options and improved outcomes.

The American Cancer Society notes that symptoms that are persistent, worsening or unusual for you should never be ignored. Here are four common cancers that affect women and the symptoms that experts recommend discussing with a healthcare provider.

Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is often called a “silent disease,” but research shows that many women experience symptoms before diagnosis. The challenge is that these symptoms can be subtle, and they are often mistaken for digestive or urinary issues.

Watch for symptoms that are new, persistent or occur frequently, including:

• Abdominal bloating or swelling
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Difficulty eating
• Feeling full quickly
• Frequent or urgent urination
• Fatigue
• Back pain
• Changes in bowel habits, including constipation
• Unexplained weight loss

Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors

Several factors can increase your ovarian cancer risk, including:

• Increasing age
• Family history of ovarian, breast or colorectal cancer
• Inherited gene mutations such as BRCA1 and BRCA2
• Lynch syndrome (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer)

If you have a strong history of cancer, talk with your provider about genetic counseling and personalized screening recommendations.

Read More: Genetic Testing for Cancer: Do You Need It?

Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers because routine screening can detect abnormal cells before they become cancerous.

“Regular Pap tests and HPV screening remain the most effective tools for identifying cervical cancer early and reducing cervical cancer deaths,” says Dr. Ashby. “Early-stage cervical cancer may not cause any symptoms, making routine screening especially important.”

Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

Contact your healthcare provider if you experience:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Bleeding after sexual intercourse
• Bleeding between menstrual periods
• Bleeding after menopause
• Heavier or longer menstrual periods than normal
• Pain during intercourse
• Unusual vaginal discharge

While these symptoms may be caused by noncancerous conditions, they should always be evaluated by a medical professional.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States. Advancements in screening and treatment continue to improve survival rates, and regular mammograms play a critical role in detecting breast cancer before symptoms develop.

The nationally accredited Beaufort Memorial Breast Health Centers offer advanced 3D mammography technology, which can help identify breast abnormalities earlier and improve detection in women with dense breast tissue.

Read More: Have Dense Breast Tissue? Here’s What You Should Know

Breast Cancer Symptoms to Watch For

Common warning signs include:

• A new lump in the breast or underarm
• Swelling of all or part of the breast
• Changes in breast size or shape
• Skin dimpling or irritation
• Breast or nipple pain
• Irregular nipple discharge
• Redness, thickening or scaling of the nipple or breast skin
• A nipple that suddenly turns inward

It’s important that most breast lumps are not cancerous. However, any new breast change should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

"Women are recommended to begin annual mammograms at age 40 and continue screening according to their provider’s recommendations," says Dr. Ashby. "Women with elevated risk factors may need earlier screening."

Read More: Breast Dimpling When It’s Time to See Your Provider

Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer is the most common type of uterine cancer and most often develops after menopause.

Unlike some other gynecologic cancers, endometrial cancer frequently causes symptoms early in the disease process.

Endometrial cancer affects mainly postmenopausal women. The average age of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer is 60. It is uncommon in women under the age of 45. In addition to age, hormone balance (affected by things like the length of your menstrual cycles, whether you had children and your age at the onset of menopause) contributes to a woman’s risk. In addition, women with hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (Lynch syndrome) have a very high risk.

Symptoms of Endometrial Cancer

The most common warning sign is abnormal vaginal bleeding. Symptoms may include:

• Bleeding after menopause
• Spotting between periods
• Changes in menstrual bleeding patterns
• Vaginal discharge that is unusual or persistent
• Pelvic pain or pressure
• Pain during intercourse
• Unexplained weight loss (in later stages)

More than 90% of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer experience abnormal vaginal bleeding, making prompt evaluation especially important.

Endometrial Cancer Risk Factors

Risk factors may include:

• Age, particularly after menopause
• Obesity
• Hormonal factors affecting estrogen exposure
• Lynch syndrome
• Family history of endometrial or colorectal cancer

Read More: Women’s Health Screenings by Age

When Should You See a Doctor?

Many of the symptoms listed above are far more likely to be caused by noncancerous conditions.

However, trust your instincts. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if you experience symptoms that:

• Are new or unusual for you
• Persist for several weeks
• Become more frequent or severe
• Interfere with daily life
• Include abnormal bleeding, especially after menopause

For women looking to stay ahead of their health, a new generation of blood-based screening tools is expanding what’s possible beyond the standard mammogram or Pap smear.

Tests like Galleri, developed by GRAIL, and Cancerguard, another multi-cancer detection (MCD) test, work by analyzing a simple blood draw for DNA signals shed by cancer cells — with the potential to flag more than one type of cancer from a single sample. These tests are designed to catch cancers early, often before symptoms appear, and can even help predict where in the body a cancer may have originated, giving doctors a head start on diagnosis.

However, these tests are meant to complement, not replace, routine screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies; they haven’t yet been cleared or approved by the FDA, though some are available as lab-developed tests that doctors can order, with more research needed before they’re recommended for widespread use in people without symptoms.

As with any emerging health technology, women should talk to their doctor about whether an MCD test makes sense as part of their personal screening plan.

Women’s Cancer Care at Beaufort Memorial

From preventive screenings and diagnostic testing to advanced cancer treatment and survivorship support, Beaufort Memorial provides comprehensive women's health and oncology services close to home.

1. Knowing your body's normal patterns and paying attention to persistent, unusual symptoms can help detect cancers that may not have routine screening tests.
2. Symptoms such as abnormal bleeding, breast changes, persistent bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating or urinary changes should be evaluated by a healthcare provider, especially if they are new or worsening.
3. Regular preventive care, including annual mammograms beginning at age 40 and routine gynecologic screenings, combined with prompt attention to symptoms, can improve the chances of early cancer detection and successful treatment.

Request an appointment with a women’s health provider at Beaufort Memorial.