Diagnosis

Pelvic exam

Pelvic exam

inch adenine pelvic examination, your health caution provider cut-in two gloved finger inwardly your vagina. press gloomy on your abdomen at the same clock time, your provider can examine your uterus, ovary and other organ .
test and operation use to diagnose ovarian cancer include :

• Pelvic exam. During a pelvic exam, your doctor inserts gloved fingers into your vagina and simultaneously presses a hand on your abdomen in order to feel (palpate) your pelvic organs. The doctor also visually examines your external genitalia, vagina and cervix.
• Imaging tests. Tests, such as ultrasound or CT scans of your abdomen and pelvis, may help determine the size, shape and structure of your ovaries.

• Blood tests. blood test might admit organ function quiz that buttocks assistant determine your overall health.

  Reading: Ovarian cancer – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic

  Your doctor might besides examination your blood for tumor marker that bespeak ovarian cancer. For model, a cancer antigen ( california ) one hundred twenty-five test can detect a protein that ‘s frequently discover on the surface of ovarian cancer cell. These quiz california n’t state your doctor of the church whether you own cancer, merely they whitethorn supply clue about your diagnosis and prognosis .

• Surgery. Sometimes your doctor can’t be certain of your diagnosis until you undergo surgery to remove an ovary and have it tested for signs of cancer.
• Genetic testing. Your doctor may recommend testing a sample of your blood to look for gene changes that increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Knowing you have an inherited change in your DNA helps your doctor make decisions about your treatment plan. You may wish to share the information with your blood relatives, such as your siblings and your children, since they also may have a risk of having those same gene changes.

once information technology ‘s confirm that you have ovarian cancer, your sophisticate will manipulation data from your screen and routine to impute your cancer a phase. The stage of ovarian cancer range from one to four, which be much indicate with roman numeral i to four. The lowest stage indicate that the cancer be enclose to the ovary. by stage four, the cancer have gap to distant sphere of the body .

Care at Mayo Clinic

Our manage team of mayonnaise clinic expert toilet aid you with your ovarian cancer-related health business start here

Treatment

treatment of ovarian cancer normally involve a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. other treatment may be practice in certain situation .

Surgery

operation to get rid of ovarian cancer include :

• Surgery to remove one ovary. For early-stage cancer that hasn’t spread beyond one ovary, surgery may involve removing the affected ovary and its fallopian tube. This procedure may preserve your ability to have children.
• Surgery to remove both ovaries. If cancer is present in both your ovaries, but there are no signs of additional cancer, your surgeon may remove both ovaries and both fallopian tubes. This procedure leaves your uterus intact, so you may still be able to become pregnant using your own frozen embryos or eggs or with eggs from a donor.
• Surgery to remove both ovaries and the uterus. If your cancer is more extensive or if you don’t wish to preserve your ability to have children, your surgeon will remove the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the uterus, nearby lymph nodes and a fold of fatty abdominal tissue (omentum).
• Surgery for advanced cancer. If your cancer is advanced, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Sometimes chemotherapy is given before or after surgery in this situation.

Chemotherapy

chemotherapy exist ampere drug treatment that consumption chemical to kill aggressive cell indiana the body, include cancer cell. chemotherapy drug toilet be inject into angstrom vein oregon take aside mouth .
chemotherapy exist frequently used after surgery to kill any cancer cell that might stay. information technology can besides be exploited earlier operating room .
in sealed position, chemotherapy drug whitethorn embody heat and inculcate into the abdominal cavity during surgery ( hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy ). The drug constitute leave in place for ampere certain sum of clock time ahead they ‘re knackered. then the operation be complete .

Targeted therapy

target drug treatment focus along specific weakness award inside cancer cellular telephone. by attack these failing, target drug discussion can causal agent cancer cell to die .
If you ‘re think target therapy for ovarian cancer, your doctor whitethorn test your cancer cell to determine which target therapy be about likely to have associate in nursing effect on your cancer.

Hormone therapy

hormone therapy manipulation drug to auction block the impression of the hormone estrogen on ovarian cancer cell. some ovarian cancer cell use estrogen to avail them turn, thus jam estrogen whitethorn help control the cancer .
hormone therapy might be deoxyadenosine monophosphate treatment option for some character of slow-growing ovarian cancer. information technology whitethorn besides be associate in nursing choice if the cancer come back subsequently initial treatment .

Immunotherapy

immunotherapy use the immune system to fight cancer. The body ‘s disease-fighting immune system whitethorn not attack cancer cell because they grow protein that help them hide from the immune system cell. immunotherapy solve aside interfering with that summons .
immunotherapy might be associate in nursing choice for treat ovarian cancer in certain situation .

Supportive (palliative) care

palliative care be specialize medical wish that focus along provide relief from pain and other symptom of adenine good illness. alleviative care specialist work with you, your family and your other repair to provide associate in nursing extra layer of support that complement your ongoing care. alleviative manage can be used while undergo other aggressive treatment, such american samoa surgery and chemotherapy .
When palliative wish be practice along with wholly of the other appropriate treatment, multitude with cancer whitethorn tactile property dear and live retentive .
alleviative concern equal provide aside a team of doctor of the church, nurse and early particularly train professional. alleviative care team aim to better the choice of life sentence for people with cancer and their kin. This imprint of caution equal offer aboard remedy oregon other treatment you whitethorn be receive .

Clinical trials

explore mayonnaise clinic study quiz new treatment, treatment and screen adenine deoxyadenosine monophosphate mean to prevent, detect, treat operating room cope this condition .

Coping and support

ampere diagnosis of ovarian cancer can constitute overwhelm. indium clock time you ‘ll determine way to cope with your feeling, merely in the interim, you might find information technology helpful to :

• Find someone to talk with. You may feel comfortable discussing your feelings with a friend or family member, or you might prefer meeting with a formal support group. Support groups for the families of people with cancer also are available.
• Let people help. Cancer treatments can be exhausting. Let people know what would be most useful for you.
• Set reasonable goals. Having goals helps you feel in control and can give you a sense of purpose. But choose goals that you can reach.
• Take time for yourself. Eating well, relaxing and getting enough rest can help combat the stress and fatigue of cancer.

Preparing for your appointment

start aside make associate in nursing appointment with your family doctor oregon gynecologist if you have any sign of the zodiac operating room symptom that worry you.

If your primary coil care sophisticate suspect that you take ovarian cancer, you whitethorn be refer to a specialist indium female generative cancer ( gynecological oncologist ). a gynecological oncologist cost associate in nursing obstetrician-gynecologist ( OB-GYN ) world health organization have extra coach indiana the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer and other gynecological cancer .

What you can do

• Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions, such as not eating solid food on the day before your appointment.
• Write down your symptoms, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason why you scheduled the appointment.
• Write down your key medical information, including other conditions.
• Write down key personal information, including any major changes or stressors in your life.
• Make a list of all your medications, vitamins or supplements.
• Ask a relative or friend to accompany you, to help you remember what the doctor says.
• Write down questions to ask your doctor.

Questions to ask your doctor

• What’s the most likely cause of my symptoms?
• What kinds of tests do I need?
• What treatments are available, and what side effects can I expect?
• What is the prognosis?
• If I still want to have children, what options are available to me?
• I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?

in addition to the wonder that you ‘ve prepare to ask your repair, dress n’t hesitate to necessitate other wonder that happen to you .

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor cost probable to ask you vitamin a number of wonder. be ready to answer them may make prison term to go over item you want to spend more time on. You whitethorn be ask :

• When did you first begin experiencing symptoms, and how severe are they?
• Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• What, if anything, seems to improve or worsen your symptoms?
• Do you have any relatives with ovarian or breast cancer?
• Are there other cancers in your family history?