Ovarian cancer

You might be wondering how a doctor can diagnose a tumor that’s inside your body where nobody can see it. Unfortunately, because these tumors are hidden, ovarian cancer is rarely found early.⁵ But, there are ways to check for signs.^{6, 7}

• Pelvic exams: Your doctor might perform a pelvic exam (different from a Pap smear) during your yearly physical. This is when your doc places gloved fingers into your vagina to feel your pelvic organs for any abnormalities, like an enlarged ovary. 
• Imaging: Things like CT scans or ultrasounds (like a transvaginal sonography) of your pelvic area can help check the shape and size of your ovaries.
• Blood tests: Your doctor can check for tumor markers (like certain proteins) in your blood that may help indicate a sign or risk of ovarian cancer.
• Surgery: Sometimes the only way to be sure of a diagnosis is to remove an ovary and have it tested.

We often rely on symptoms to tell us something may be wrong — a fever, upset stomach or maybe a rash. With ovarian cancer, its signs and symptoms may be common and vague enough that they may not even feel like symptoms at all, which may be the problem. That said, here are three symptoms women have reported:⁸

• Bloating or belly pain
• Quickly feeling full when eating or drinking
• Urinating urgently or often

Other signs may include extreme tiredness, back pain, constipation, pain during sex or menstrual changes.⁸ If any of these symptoms last for more than two weeks, get worse or don’t go away with diet, exercise or rest, pay your doctor a visit. Try to document your symptoms as best you can, considering the difficulty of early diagnosis. It may be best to be as detailed as possible.

The cause of ovarian cancer is unknown, but there are a few risk factors that may increase your chances of getting it. Things like:⁹

• Older age: Ovarian cancer is more common in women 50 to 60 years old.
• Genetics: You can inherit certain gene mutations that may give you a greater chance of having ovarian cancer.
• Family history of ovarian cancer: If two or more close relatives have ovarian cancer, your chances may increase.
• Estrogen hormone replacement therapy: The longer the duration and the larger the dose, the risk might be higher.
• An early period and late menopause: Getting your period at a younger age and/or starting menopause at an older age might increase your risk.

There are fewer ways to help prevent ovarian cancer, but some things have been linked that may help decrease  the chances of getting it. They include:¹⁰

• Using birth control for at least five years
• Getting your tubes tied, both ovaries removed or a hysterectomy
• Giving birth
• Breastfeeding for at least a year

You may also look to lifestyle habits that might decrease your risk for cancer in general. Things to consider are avoiding tobacco, eating a balanced diet with fruits and veggies, keeping your body at a healthy weight and making regular exercise part of your routine.¹¹

A combination of surgery and chemotherapy is usually the approach to help treat ovarian cancer. Surgery options might include removing one or both ovaries, and/or the uterus. Then chemo is often used after surgery to help kill any remaining cancer cells. Details of a treatment plan may depend on the severity of the cancer, so each person’s journey may be different.¹²