I've had ovarian cancer and while it usually strikes women after or during menopause (55+), it struck me in my late twenties and went on for 8 years until it was finally taken care of. As far as good pap smears: Ovarian cancer will not show up in pap smears unless it has spread to the cervic or uterus, etc. Also, it does not run in my family, I was very athletic and participated in many sports, had only had one sex partner (my husband}, never smoked and didn't drink. So, apparently those things don't necessarily matter in the case of Ovarian Cancer. I'd also never had a bad pap smear in my life and ended up with a 21cm malignant ovarian tumor and a smaller one. They did several pelvic exams because of my symptoms, and it was never found. I was not overweight and they still could not find such a big tumour in my pelvic exam. It was found after the smaller one burst and after a ultra sound, I got emergency surgery to clean up the other one. At the time of the US, they never believed it was anything but a cyst or benign tumor because of my age. Never say never, right? I had one US previously, and it was misread. I believe firmly in several opinions. Come well prepared to your appointments with your symptoms and questions written down. They treat you with more respect and you don't get rushed or nervous and forget something. My final treatments and the good US were all performed in a teaching hopsital. If you can, get a referal to a clinic in a teaching hospital. Good luck!

[This message has been edited by serenityelf (edited 10-06-2003).]