Overview
What Do I Need to Know?
Ovarian cancer begins in the ovaries, located at each side of the uterus. This form of cancer is common in women above the age of 40 and peaks at 55 to 60 years of age, with 50% diagnosed at advanced stages.
Being the fourth most common from of cancer in women, it is a particularly challenging form of cancer to diagnose as most cases are discovered at advanced stages, due to the absence of symptoms in the early stages.
There are several types of ovarian cancer which are:
- Epithelial Tumours – Over 90% of ovarian cancers are epithelial tumours, which begin in the thin layer of tissue that covers the outside of the ovaries.
- Stromal Tumours – 7% of ovarian tumours are stromal, which begin in the ovarian tissue that contains hormone-producing cells.
- Germ Cell Tumours – This type ofovarian tumour tends to occur in younger women, which begins in the egg-producing cells.
What Are the Risk Factors?
Factors that may increase your risk of ovarian cancer are:
- Age – Ovarian cancer can occur at any age. Commonly, women aged 50 to 60 years old are at an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
- Inherited gene mutations – Gene mutation contributes to a small percentage of ovarian cancer cases. Genes known to increase your risk of ovarian cancer are breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2).
- Family history – If you have two or more close relatives with ovarian cancer, you are at an increased risk of the disease.
- Age when menstruation starts and ends – You are at an increased risk of ovarian cancer if menstruation begins at an early age or menopause starts at a later age.
What Are the Symptoms?
Early-stage ovarian cancers rarely cause symptoms; however, symptoms may surface at the later stages. Most often, these few and nonspecific symptoms are mistaken for benign conditions.
Symptoms may include:
- Abdominal bloating or swelling
- Quickly feeling full when eating
- Weight loss
- Discomfort in the pelvis area
- Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
- A frequent need to urinate
Diagnosis & Treatment
How Do I Screen for Ovarian Cancer?
If you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, consult a doctor to determine what these factors may mean to your own risk of cancer. Undergoing genetic testing may be an option to help understand more of your chances.
Other types of diagnosis for ovarian cancer may include:
- Imaging tests – Ultrasound and CT scans of your abdomen and pelvis may help determine the size, shape, and structure of your ovaries
- Blood tests – Blood tests, which mayinclude organ function tests, may give the expert clues of your diagnosis or prognosis. When the diagnosis of ovarian cancer is confirmed, your information is processed to assign your cancer stage.