What is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer happens when normal cells in the ovary change into abnormal cells and grow out of control. The ovaries are organs that are part of a woman’s reproductive system. A woman’s eggs develop in the ovaries .
What is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer happens when normal cells in the ovary change into abnormal cells and grow out of control. The ovaries are organs that are part of a woman’s reproductive system. A woman’s eggs develop in the ovaries .
Symptoms of ovarian cancer can include:
When ovarian cancer begins to grow, some women might not notice their symptoms much. But as the cancer grows, the symptoms become worse.
These symptoms can also be caused by conditions that are not ovarian cancer. But if you have these symptoms, you should let your doctor or nurse know.
Yes. If your doctor suspects you have ovarian cancer, he or she might order one or more of the following:
Cancer staging is a way in which doctors find out how far a cancer has spread.
For most women, having surgery to remove the cancer is the first part of treatment. Further treatment will depend a lot on the stage of the cancer, a woman’s age, and her other medical problems. Some women might not need any further treatment after surgery. Other women might need further treatment that includes chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the term doctors use to describe a group of medicines that kill cancer cells. Usually, these medicines go into a vein. But sometimes they can go through a small tube into the lower part of the stomach.
If you want to have a baby one day, tell your doctor before having treatment. Treatment for ovarian cancer usually leaves a woman unable to get pregnant. But for some women it might be possible to plan treatment so that pregnancy is still possible.
After treatment, you will be checked every so often to see if the cancer comes back. Follow up tests usually include blood tests, exams, and imaging tests. You should also watch for the symptoms listed above, because having those symptoms could mean the cancer has come back. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have any symptoms.
If the cancer comes back or spreads, you might have more surgery or chemotherapy. You might also have a medicine called targeted therapy, which can help prevent cancer growth.
If ovarian or breast cancer runs in your family, talk to your doctor. There may be things you can do to keep from getting cancer.
It is important to follow all your doctors’ instructions about visits and tests. It’s also important to talk to your doctor about any side effects or problems you have during treatment.
Getting treated for ovarian cancer involves making many choices, such as what treatment to have.
Always let your doctors and nurses know how you feel about a treatment. Any time you are offered a treatment, ask: