Cancer care at ZenHeal
Ovarian Cancer: symptoms, tests and treatment
Ovarian cancer is called a silent cancer because its early signs, like bloating and feeling full quickly, are easy to ignore. Most women are diagnosed at a later stage, yet good surgery combined with chemotherapy controls the disease for many years.
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Warning signs of ovarian cancer
- Persistent bloating or a swollen abdomen
- Feeling full quickly or loss of appetite
- Pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis
- Needing to pass urine more often
- Change in bowel habit, tiredness or weight loss
These signs often have other causes. If one lasts more than two to three weeks, see a doctor and get it checked.
Who is at higher risk
- Age over 50
- Family history of ovarian or breast cancer
- BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene changes
- Endometriosis
- Never having been pregnant
How ovarian cancer is diagnosed
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1
Pelvic ultrasound
The first test to look at the ovaries.
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2
CA-125 blood test
A tumour marker that supports the diagnosis and is used to follow treatment.
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3
CT or MRI
Shows how far the disease has spread in the abdomen.
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4
Biopsy or surgery
Confirms the diagnosis. BRCA testing is advised for most patients.
Treatment options
The right plan depends on the stage, the type of cancer and your overall health. Most patients receive more than one of these.
Cytoreductive surgery
Removal of the ovaries, womb and all visible tumour. Leaving no visible disease gives the best long-term results.
Chemotherapy
Usually carboplatin and paclitaxel, given after surgery or before it to shrink extensive disease.
Maintenance therapy
PARP inhibitor tablets for suitable patients, especially with BRCA changes, to delay the cancer coming back.
Ovarian Cancer treatment at ZenHeal
Surgical oncologists at both hospitals perform cytoreductive surgery, and chemotherapy is given at the same hospital in day care.
Doctors who treat ovarian cancer
Common questions about ovarian cancer
No. CA-125 can rise with endometriosis, fibroids, infections and even periods. It is interpreted together with scans.
It often can, which is why regular follow-up and maintenance treatment matter. Recurrent disease can be treated again.
If you carry a BRCA gene change, sisters and daughters can be tested and take steps to lower their own risk.
Other cancer types
Diagnosed or worried about ovarian cancer?
Upload your reports for a free review, or ask a ZenHeal oncologist to call you back.