Skip to main content
MENU
CLOSE

Early Detection Saves Lives

Source: Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance

https://ocrfa.org/patients/about-ovarian-cancer/symptoms-and-detection/

Early detection of ovarian cancer saves women’s lives. No screening test exists for ovarian cancer. The Pap test does not test for ovarian cancer; it screens for cervical cancer.

Not only do researchers need to develop an early detection test for ovarian cancer, like mammograms for breast cancer and Pap tests for cervical cancer, but also women and medical professionals need to become more aware of ovarian cancer symptoms.

While no early detection tool exists, several tests exist for women who are at a high risk. If a woman has ovarian cancer symptoms, a strong family history, or a genetic predisposition such as a BRCA mutation, doctors may monitor her with one of three tests or a combination of them:

Blood Test

  • The protein CA-125 exists in greater concentration in cancerous cells. Though a high count of this protein may help doctors identify ovarian cancer, premenopausal women may have an elevated CA-125 due to benign conditions unrelated to ovarian cancer. Uterine fibroids, liver disease, inflammation of the fallopian tubes, and other types of cancer can raise a woman’s CA-125 level, often causing a false positive test for ovarian cancer.

  • Although the CA-125 blood test is more accurate in postmenopausal women, it is not a reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer. In about 20 percent of advanced stage ovarian cancer cases and 50 percent of early stage cases, the CA-125 is not elevated even though ovarian cancer is present. As a result, doctors generally use the CA-125 blood test in combination with a transvaginal ultrasound.

  • The CA-125 blood test can be an important tool for evaluating the disease’s progress and tumors’ response to treatment. Additionally, this test can monitor a woman’s CA-125 level for evidence of recurrence.

  • OVA1 has also been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for risk stratification.  A woman who presents with a known tumor may have this test to determine if her surgery should be done by a gynecologist or a gynecologic oncologist – doctors who are specially trained to treat women with gynecologic cancers.

Transvaginal Ultrasound

  • A transvaginal ultrasound is a test used to examine a woman’s reproductive organs and bladder.

  • To administer this painless test, the radiologist inserts a probe into the woman’s vagina. The probe sends off sound waves which reflect off body structures. The waves are then received by a computer that turns them into a picture.

Pelvic Exam

  • A pelvic exam should be a part of a woman’s regular female health exam. This exam requires the doctor to place one or two fingers into a woman’s vagina and another over her abdomen to feel the size, shape, and position of the ovaries and uterus.

  • A pelvic / rectal exam can be a helpful tool if a woman is exhibiting symptoms of ovarian cancer. This quick and simple exam is similar to a pelvic exam but the doctor simultaneously inserts two fingers in the rectum. It allows the doctor to get closer to feeling the ovaries.

Diagnosis

If a woman has the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, her doctor will probably perform a complete pelvic exam, a transvaginal or pelvic ultrasound, and a CA-125 blood test. Used individually, these tests are not definitive; they are most effective when used in combination with each other. Doctors may also use a CT scan or PET scan as part of the diagnostic process. The only definitive way to determine if a patient has ovarian cancer is through surgery and biopsy.

Source: Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance

https://ocrfa.org/patients/about-ovarian-cancer/symptoms-and-detection/

Gynecologic Oncologist

Multiple studies conducted over the past decade have shown that an ovarian cancer patient’s chance of survival is significantly improved when her surgery is performed by a gynecologic oncologist. One analysis of multiple studies found that women whose surgeries were performed by gynecologic oncologists had a median survival time that was 50 percent greater than women whose surgeries were done by general gynecologists or other surgeons inexperienced in optimal debulking procedures. Sometimes referred to as cytoreductive surgery, debulking involves removal of as much of the tumor as possible.

As part of the debulking procedure, doctors try to stage definitively the disease and identify the optimal treatment for the cancer. Proper staging and optimal debulking translate into improved overall survival for women at any stage of ovarian cancer.

Gynecologic oncologists have greater success in treating ovarian cancer as a result of their tendency to perform more aggressive surgery. Women whose tumors have been reduced to less than one centimeter have a better response to chemotherapy and improved survival rate. Gynecologic oncologists also are more likely to perform the multiple peritoneal and lymph node biopsies necessary to ensure adequate surgical staging.

Source: Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance
www.ovariancancer.org/about/treatment
 

Click on link below for a list of the Gynecologic Oncologists in Colorado:

Ovarian Cancer Information

About Us

We know that receiving an ovarian cancer diagnosis can be a scary and challenging experience, and we are here to support you through the journey. We have dedicated staff, exceptional volunteers, and a community of women who have gone through, or are still going through, the challenges of dealing with this disease. We are here for you through all stages of ovarian cancer.

COCA Connections

Assisting and supporting ovarian cancer survivors and caregivers is at the heart of COCA's mission. Our community of women includes those newly diagnosed, in treatment, after treatment, in recurrence, and long-term survivors. We are here for you.

Donate

Your charitable contribution helps us sustain our mission to support ovarian cancer survivors and promote early detection of ovarian cancer in Colorado.