by Eveline Gan     TUMMY pain, feeling bloated or being full quickly sure sound a lot like digestive problems. For some women, however, they could also mean something more sinister - cancer of the ovaries. Each year, almost 100 women in Singapore die from ovarian cancer - a number which has been climbing steadily over the past three decades.   June 1 marks the beginning of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.   Unlike some other women cancers such as breast or cervical cancer, ovarian cancer is notoriously tough to detect. This is because the symptoms frequently mimic other common ailments including digestive and bladder problems.   More often than not, women find themselves battling late stage ovarian cancer - usually in Stages Three or Four - by the time they are diagnosed, said Associate Professor Mahesh Choolani, a senior consultant gynaecologist at the National University Hospital.   "The ovaries are deep-seated organs. Unlike, say, the cervix, which can be examined annually for a pap smear, or the breast, which could be examined by the patient to look for lumps, ovarian cancer only reveals itself after it has grown big within the abdomen and cause general symptoms that mimic many intra-abdominal diseases," explained Assoc Prof Mahesh, who is also the non-executive chairman of Innovations Exchange (INEX), a diagnostics company which specialises in women's health.   Until late last year, there is no specific test to detect ovarian cancer. The development of a new blood test, called Ovplex, by an Australian biotechnology company, will change the way ovarian cancer is detected and diagnosed. The test was launched by INEX last year.   "Ideally, women with any of the symptoms described (see box) should be tested for early detection of ovarian cancer. If the above symptoms persist for more than one to two weeks, check with your doctor to examine and order appropriate investigations such as an ultrasound or a the new blood test that examines five biomarkers," said Assoc Prof Mahesh.   With early detection, survival rate is more than 90 per cent. EVELINE GAN       Some Warning Signs Of Ovarian Cancer:   · Abdominal distension, swelling, bloatedness or pain   · Clothes fitting tighter around your waist   · Changes in menstruation   · Loss of appetite or quickly feeling full   · Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea   · Unexplained changes in bowel habits   · Persistent lack of energy   · Changes in bladder habits. For example, a frequent need to urinate   · Pelvic discomfort or pain   · Lower back pain   The development of a new blood test, called Ovplex, by an Australian biotechnology company, will change the way ovarian cancer is detected and diagnosed.                         This article was featured in Today May 31, 2011. http://www.todayonline.com/Health/EDC110531-0000016/Ovarian-cancer-awareness-...