Signs and Symptoms
Most symptoms of ovarian cancer occur within the abdomen. A woman with ovarian cancer may feel pain, heaviness or constant bloating in the lower abdomen area. It is not uncommon to experience bowel irregularity (constipation or diarrhea), nausea and frequent gas. If the cancer has reached later stages, symptoms may include back pain, abnormal menstrual cycles, frequent urination and irregular weight gain or loss.
Physical Exam
Your doctor may perform a physical exam if he suspects that you have ovarian cancer. This simply means that he will press on your abdomen to feel for lumps or areas where fluid may have built up. The doctor will also try to observe if there has been any change in the size of your ovaries.
Blood Test
Your blood can be tested to check for abnormal levels of various substances, particularly CA-125. This is a substance that is normally present in some tissues in the body, but if the level is very high, it could be indicative of cancer. The doctor may also check your red and white blood cell counts, as well as your platelet count.
Ultrasound
An ultrasound is a procedure that uses sound waves to send a video image of the area being looked at. When looking for the presence of a tumor in the ovaries, the ultrasound instrument may be placed on the surface of the abdomen or in the vagina.
Laparoscopy
Sometimes a doctor may want to perform a laparoscopy to get a better look at a mass detected in the ovaries. For this procedure, a small incision is cut in the abdomen and a thin tube is inserted into the area. The tube is lighted and is able to send video to a monitor that allows the doctor to see the organs up close. He is also able to take a small sample of the suspected cancer tissue to send to a lab for testing.
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