The American Cancer Society reports that ovarian cancer is one of the most common cancers among women; as many as one out of every 71 women will develop ovarian cancer in her lifetime. Women who have the earliest stages of ovarian cancer do not always show symptoms, but they may show some signs of the disease once it has spread to the surrounding organs. Physical examinations, imaging tests and blood tests can all help diagnose ovarian cancer.
Step 1
Know some of the symptoms that are associated with ovarian cancer and report them to your doctor. Women who have ovarian cancer may feel bloated, have stomach pain or pain in the pelvic area and may need to urinate frequently. Changes in the menstrual cycle, pain after sexual intercourse and feeling tired can also be symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Step 2
Undergo an MRI or a CT scan, tests that allow your doctors to see your internal organs and any abnormalities that may exist. Imaging tests of this kind will expose any tumors on your ovaries and show cancerous cells on other organs if the cancer has spread.
Step 3
Have your doctor take a biopsy of growths or abnormal tissues that appear on your ovaries. Not all ovarian abnormalities are malignant. Some women develop ovarian cysts that are benign and can be treated easily. Taking a small sample of the tissue can determine the nature of the illness.
Step 4
Allow your doctor or lab to collect blood samples that will help test for ovarian cancer. Several different blood tests can tell doctors if ovarian cancer is present or likely due to a family history. The CA-125 test checks for a type of protein that many kinds of ovarian cancers contain in their cells. BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 tests screen for gene mutations that make it more likely for a woman to develop ovarian or breast cancer during her life. An AFP test is another blood test that measures a protein that exists in tumors on the ovaries and liver.
Things You'll Need
- MRI or CT scan
- Blood tests
