Background: The overall mortality of ovarian cancer is high because of its late presentation, with over 80% of patients presenting with advanced disease largely due to the vague symptoms in its early stages. Ninety percent of those diagnosed with early stage ovarian cancer were symptomatic before diagnosis. It is therefore important that women are aware of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer as early detection greatly improves the chances of successful treatment, and because nurses play an important helping role which is useful in public education and awareness, they should be aware of the red flags of ovarian cancer.