Pressure symptoms
When tumors become very large, they can produce pressure symptoms. Due to pressure effects, large tumors can cause gastrointestinal effects such as constipation, acute abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, indigestion, malabsorption, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Ovarian tumors can produce respiratory symptoms such as pleural effusion (more common in malignant than benign tumors), dyspnea due to pressure effects on the diaphragm or due to pleural effusion.
Pressure on the venous system can cause unilateral or bilateral lower limb edema depending on laterality of tumor, or varicosities in the lower limb (deep venous thrombosis), and the anal region (hemorrhoids). Urinary symptoms are seen due to pressure on the urinary bladder, commonly reported as frequency and urgency.
Other symptoms include hydronephrosis due to the pressure on the ureters, and urinary retention if the tumors get impacted in the pelvic cavity. Pressure on the hepatobiliary system can obstruct the bile flow, causing bile stasis, and ultimately jaundice.