Ovarian Cancer Quiz

Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumor (cancer) that grows in a woman's ovaries. There can be minimal or very generalized symptoms such as bloating or abdominal discomfort or the sensation of being full very early after eating. Ovarian cancer is sometimes related to a family history of ovarian cancer or a hereditary condition such as being BRCA positive. It is more common in women who have never been pregnant and in older women. Workup is with biopsy, scans, lab tests such as "CA125" and genetic testing.

• Decrease in urine volume

• Feeling uncomfortably bloated after meals

• Lump or swelling in the abdomen/stomach

• Abdominal pain

• Pain in the pelvis- the lowest part of the abdomen, between the belly button and groin

• Stomach feels bloated

• Pain around the belly button area

• Lower left abdomen or tummy pain

A gynecologist or gynecologist-oncologist typically confirms the diagnosis with a biopsy. The treatment plan depends on factors such as the subtype and extent of the disease. The primary treatment option for many women is complicated surgery in which the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes are removed as well as lymph nodes and the abdominal lining (called the "omentum"). After surgery, many women are also treated with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted drugs depending on the cancer cells characteristics.