Ovarian Cancer - What to Look Out For
Bloated stomach, tenderness, or pain in the pelvis, needing to pee often, feeling full quickly after eating and no appetite are the main symptoms of ovarian cancer, if you get them more than 12 times a month. Other symptoms include back pain, constipation or diarrhoea, indigestion, feeling tired all the time, losing weight without try and bleeding from the vagina after menopause. See your GP if you have any symptoms of ovarian cancer. It is important to remember these symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions. However, it’s still important to get checked by a GP, as early recognition of cancer is more treatable.
More than half of ovarian cancer cases in the UK are those aged 65 and over, meaning the risk of developing ovarian cancer increases with age. Anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer. This includes women, trans men, non-binary people, and intersex people with ovaries. You cannot get ovarian caner if you’ve had surgery to remove your ovaries. You may have a higher chance of getting ovarian caner if you: inherited a faulty gene, such as the BRCA genes or those linked to Lynch syndrome; had breast or bowel cancer; had radiotherapy treatment for a previous cancer; have endometriosis or diabetes; if you have ovulated more – for example, started period at a young age or went through the menopause late, or have not had a baby because this means you’ve released more eggs; have never used any hormonal contraception; are taking hormone replacement therapy; are overweight; or smoke.
You can lower the risk of getting ovarian cancer by quitting smoking, staying a healthy weight, or losing weight (if you’re overweight) and talking with a GP about possible tests or treatments if ovarian cancer runs in your family.
A blood test and a scan are the first tests to be done, but there are other tests needed to diagnose ovarian cancer. An ultrasound scan may be used to see if there are changes to your ovaries. This may be a transvaginal scan (a scanning device the size of your finger inserted into your vagina) or an abdominal scan (an external scan over the tummy). If your scan results are normal, but your symptoms continue for more than a month, see the GP again to check if it’s something else. Sometimes ovaries are too small to show up on a scan, especially after menopause. Other tests you may have include: a CT scan; removing a small sample of cells or fluid from your ovaries; looking at your ovaries using a camera on the end of a tube through a small cut in your tummy; or surgery to remove tissue or possibly your ovaries.
You should get your results within a few weeks. If you’re worried, call the hospital or GP. They should be able to update you. A specialist will explain the results and what will happen next. You can bring someone with you for support. Being told you have ovarian cancer can feel overwhelming. You may be feeling anxious about what will happen next. A team of specialists will look after you throughout your diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Your team will include a clinical nurse specialist who will be your main point of contact during and after treatment.
If you’ve been told you have ovarian cancer, you usually need more tests. These, along with the tests you’ve already had, will help the specialists find out what size of the cancer and how far it’s spread. You may need: scans (CT, MRI, PET, or chest X-ray) and genetic testing. You may not have all these tests. The specialists will use the results of these tests and talk to you about the best treatment plan for you.