The disease, which affects around 6,800 women across the UK each year, is often diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment is less effective.

Research has shown that early diagnosis could boost survival rates to around 90 per cent.

According to the charity Target Ovarian Cancer, many women experience symptoms for around 12 months before they are diagnosed, and the signs are either ignored or mistaken for something else.

The charity revealed that around 80 per cent of GPs wrongly thought that women with early-stage ovarian cancer did not have any symptoms.

The department of health guidelines give the symptoms for ovarian cancer as persistent pelvic or abdominal pain, increased abdominal size, constant bloating, difficulty eating and feeling full quickly.

Dorothy Petty, 72, is an ovarian cancer survivor and regional co-ordinator for Eve appeal.

Mrs Petty, of St Helen's Parade, Southsea, said: 'We aren't saying rush to the doctors, but often these symptoms are mistaken for bowel cancer or irritable bowel syndrome.

'We are trying to get the doctors to be aware of the symptoms. Only with a scan can you start to see that it is ovarian cancer.'