Detect ovarian cancer

Although ovarian cancer is a common cancer in women, it is discovered too late in the majority of cases because it usually causes no symptoms in the early stages and is therefore difficult to detect. For this reason, a regular examination should be carried out by a gynecologist, which should include an ultrasound examination of the ovaries, especially in women over 50, in order to detect the disease at an early stage. Women who have already developed breast or colon cancer should also pay special attention to a regular examination of the ovaries.

Familial breast cancer has an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. There are some non-specific symptoms that may indicate a possible malignant disease of the ovaries. Initially, unexplained fatigue and unintended weight loss may occur.

Some women also experience irregular, unusually heavy bleeding that cannot be explained by the normal menstrual cycle. This is especially true for women who, although they are actually already in the menopause, suddenly develop heavy bleeding. Only when the ovarian cancer has already progressed to the point where it affects the function of other organs are other possible symptoms such as general abdominal discomfort, a feeling of fullness in the abdomen, flatulence, increase in abdominal girth, stomach pain and digestive problems.

The increase in abdominal girth is due to fluid accumulation (ascites) caused by impaired liver function and located in the free abdominal cavity. Fluid accumulations can also develop in the lungs and subsequently lead to respiratory problems (pulmonary edema).If the cancer is already more advanced, the tumor can infiltrate neighboring tissues and organs and, if necessary, compress them. This can cause bladder problems such as frequent urination.

It is also possible that intestinal function is impaired, which can lead to diarrhoea and/or constipation. However, these symptoms are very unspecific for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and can also be triggered by much less serious diseases or even other cancers. The final diagnosis can only be confirmed by a medical examination.

The diagnosis of ovarian cancer can only be made by a medical examination. There are no special early detection examinations, such as mammography for breast cancer screening. Since the disease presents very few symptoms in its early stages, most ovarian cancer is diagnosed at a late stage.

Normally, however, during the normal screening procedure at the gynaecologist’s office, the patient is palpated to determine whether there is any enlargement of the ovaries or pain in this area. If there are any abnormalities, an ultrasound examination of the ovaries can then be performed. For this purpose, the transducer of the ultrasound device is inserted vaginally.

This is normally not painful for the woman. The ultrasound waves can then be used to visualize the ovaries on the screen and examine them for cysts or other changes. An ultrasound image can also be taken through the abdominal wall.

If noticeable changes are noticed, additional examinations such as a CT or MRI are usually requested. This allows possible metastases to be identified at an early stage. However, all these examinations only provide information about the disease.

An examination of the blood for certain tumor markers can also provide information. For example, in most patients with ovarian cancer, the tumor marker CA-125 is elevated. However, a general screening for this tumor marker for early detection of the disease has not proven to be effective.

A bladder or colonoscopy can usually be dispensed with, as pathological findings due to ovarian cancer are rarely found there. A possible spread into the intestine or bladder is then clarified during surgery for the tumor. The final diagnosis requires such a surgical procedure, during which a tissue sample is taken from the ovaries (biopsy).

This is then prepared and examined under a microscope. If the suspected diagnosis of ovarian cancer is confirmed, the operation is continued and the tumor or the entire ovaries are removed. By examining the removed tissue more closely, the stage of the cancer and the aggressiveness of the tumor can then be determined. Often, when an ovarian tumor is removed, the uterus and the lymph nodes in the pelvic area must also be removed, as there are often tumor cells that have settled there.