Ovarian Cancer

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system. They produce a woman's eggs and female hormones. Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond.

Cancer of the ovary is not common, but it causes more deaths than other female reproductive cancers. The sooner ovarian cancer is found and treated, the better your chance for recovery. But ovarian cancer is hard to detect early. Women with ovarian cancer may have no symptoms or just mild symptoms until the disease is in an advanced stage. Then it is hard to treat. Symptoms may include

• A heavy feeling in the pelvis
• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Bleeding from the vagina
• Weight gain or loss
• Abnormal periods
• Unexplained back pain that gets worse
• Gas, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite

To diagnose ovarian cancer, doctors do one or more tests. They include a physical exam, a pelvic exam, lab tests, ultrasound, or a biopsy. Treatment is usually surgery followed by chemotherapy.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• General Information About Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
• Ovarian Cancer (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Ovarian Cancer Fact Sheet (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
• Ovarian Cancer FAQ (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Also in Spanish
• What Is Ovarian Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

• Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Abdominal exploration - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP) Tumor Marker Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• BRCA Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• CA 125 Blood Test (Ovarian Cancer) (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Can Ovarian Cancer Be Found Early? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• CEA Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• How Is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• How Is Ovarian Cancer Staged? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Laparoscopy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer Screening (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Risk Assessment, Genetic Counseling, and Genetic Testing for BRCA-Related Cancer in Women (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) - PDF
• Screening for Ovarian Cancer (American College of Physicians) - PDF
• Stages of Ovarian Epithelial, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Stages of Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Tumor Marker Tests (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Can Ovarian Cancer Be Prevented? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Also in Spanish
• Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer Prevention (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Prophylactic Oophorectomy: Preventing Cancer by Surgically Removing Your Ovaries (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• What Are the Risk Factors for Ovarian Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
• Gynecologic Cancers: Treatment Types (American Society for Radiation Oncology)
• Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors Treatment (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment for Stromal Tumors of the Ovary (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Ovarian Epithelial, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Options by Stage (Ovarian Epithelial, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer) (National Cancer Institute)
• Treatment Options By Stage (Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors) (National Cancer Institute)
• Treatment Options for Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors (National Cancer Institute)

Living With

• Cancer and Stress (Foundation for Women's Cancer)
• Ovarian Cancer: Nutrition (Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology)
• What Will Happen After Treatment for Ovarian Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Cancer Treatment for Women: Possible Sexual Side Effects (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Ovarian Cancer: Still Possible After Hysterectomy? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Risks of Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer Screening (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Talcum Powder and Cancer (American Cancer Society)
• What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Ovarian Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• General Information about Ovarian Epithelial Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• General Information about Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• General Information about Ovarian Low Malignant Potential Tumors (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Primary Peritoneal Cancer (Foundation for Women's Cancer)

Genetics

• BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
• BRCA1 and BRCA2: Cancer Risk and Genetic Testing (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Breast and Ovarian Cancer and Family History Risk Categories (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Do We Know What Causes Ovarian Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Does Breast or Ovarian Cancer Run in Your Family? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• Genetic Counseling and Evaluation for BRCA1/2 Testing (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Genetics Home Reference: ovarian cancer (National Library of Medicine)

Images

• Ovarian Cancer Stage I (National Cancer Institute)
• Ovarian Cancer Stage II (National Cancer Institute)
• Ovarian Cancer Stage IIIC (National Cancer Institute)
• Ovarian Cancer Stage IV (National Cancer Institute)

Statistics and Research

• NIH Study Finds Regular Aspirin Use May Reduce Ovarian Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute)
• Ovarian Cancer Statistics (National Cancer Institute)
• What Are the Key Statistics about Ovarian Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• What's New in Ovarian Cancer Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Ovarian Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: A diagnostic challenge of seromucinous borderline tumor: A case report.
• Article: Teratoma-associated anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis: A case report and literature review.
• Article: Post-debulking circulating tumor cell as a poor prognostic marker in advanced...
• Ovarian Cancer -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Normal Female Reproductive Anatomy (National Cancer Institute)

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
• NCI Designated Cancer Centers (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Organizations That Offer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Seek a Specialist (Foundation for Women's Cancer)
• womenshealth.gov (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene testing (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• CA-125 blood test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ovarian cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ovarian Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish