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Gynecologic Health

What Are the Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer?

Summary & Participants

Most women will survive ovarian cancer if it is detected at an early stage. But most cases are detected late. Can women rely on their bodies to tell them if they have this cancer?

Medically Reviewed On: July 05, 2008

Webcast Transcript

CAROLYN RUNOWICZ, MD: We do use it for screening in certain circumstances. For example, if you had a BRCA mutation (a BRCA mutation is a mutation in a gene that puts you at risk for breast and ovary cancer), we would recommend that you get CA125. If you've had ovarian cancer, we would recommend it. But, other than that, we don't use it for screening.

ANNOUNCER: But since most women don't have a worrisome ovarian cancer gene mutation, what should women do?

CAROLYN RUNOWICZ, MD: Well, I think your yearly examination with your gynecologist is probably the best thing that one can do. And, if one has symptoms that are persistent of indigestion, bloating, change in bowel habits one should see a physician, including a gynecologist.

ANNOUNCER: If your healthcare provider suspects ovarian cancer, prompt action can be taken. Surgery would be likely to confirm a diagnosis.

CAROLYN RUNOWICZ, MD: Let's say you had symptoms or, on routine pelvic examination, your doctor detected a mass, you got a sonogram and the sonogram confirmed that there was a mass there and that there might be some characteristics that were suggestive of malignancy. One would get a CA125. Now, that is not a screen, that a little difference because there's a mass there. So something is prompting you to further investigate.

So all of that sort of comes together in the physician's mind, as sort of like a puzzle. You have an index of suspicion based on the CA125, the characteristics of the tumor, your pelvic exam, the age of the patient, the family history of the patient, the personal history of the patient. You put all those factors together and you then kind of come up with, "Well, I think this is going to be benign," or "I think this is going to be malignant." And, if you think it's going to be malignant, then the patient should be referred to a gynecologic oncologist.

ANNOUNCER: Because ovarian cancer is not very common, and most women who have these symptoms will not have ovarian cancer, women and their healthcare providers must team up to carefully analyze symptoms. Together.

CAROLYN RUNOWICZ, MD: What I think patients really need to do is empower themselves and, if they have persistent symptoms, persistent indigestion, persistent constipation, persistent change in bowel habits, persistent bloating, they should see their gynecologist and they should get a pelvic exam.

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