What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Ovarian cancer often does not present symptoms in its early stages and can be detected during gynecological examinations. Secondly, as the tumor grows, it can cause abdominal swelling and discomfort, and abdominal masses may be felt during examinations. Ascites may also develop. The severity of these symptoms depends on the size and location of the tumor, the nearby organs it invades, and the histological type of the tumor. Thirdly, if the tumor infiltrates or compresses surrounding tissues, it can also lead to abdominal pain, back pain, and pain in the lower extremities. If it compresses the pelvic veins, swelling in the lower limbs may occur. If the tumor is functional, it can produce symptoms related to excess estrogen or androgen. In its later stages, the condition may manifest as cachexia and severe anemia, among other signs of a severe illness state.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
1min 5sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer often does not present symptoms in its early stages and can be detected during gynecological examinations. Secondly, as the tumor grows, it can cause abdominal swelling and discomfort, and abdominal masses may be felt during examinations. Ascites may also develop. The severity of these symptoms depends on the size and location of the tumor, the nearby organs it invades, and the histological type of the tumor. Thirdly, if the tumor infiltrates or compresses surrounding tissues, it can also lead to abdominal pain, back pain, and pain in the lower extremities. If it compresses the pelvic veins, swelling in the lower limbs may occur. If the tumor is functional, it can produce symptoms related to excess estrogen or androgen. In its later stages, the condition may manifest as cachexia and severe anemia, among other signs of a severe illness state.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
1min home-news-image

Ovarian cancer pain symptoms

In the early stages of ovarian cancer, the symptoms can be quite hidden, and the patient may not feel any discomfort at all. However, as the tumor grows and ascites develops, the patient typically may experience abdominal bloating, or a palpable mass may be felt in the pelvic or lower abdominal area. At this point, symptoms such as pain in the lower abdomen may occur, especially when there is a substantial amount of ascites, leading to clinical symptoms like abdominal bloating and pain. In even more advanced stages of ovarian cancer, the tumor may invade surrounding pelvic organs, potentially causing partial intestinal obstruction or symptoms of pelvic compression. With conditions like intestinal obstruction, there will be significant abdominal pain, possibly accompanied by vomiting, especially after eating, which can exacerbate the symptoms.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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What should be noted about having intercourse after ovarian cancer surgery?

Patients with ovarian cancer can have sexual intercourse after radical surgery or palliative surgery, but there are several precautions to consider: Firstly, it is not advisable to have sexual intercourse too soon after surgery, as early intercourse may lead to poor healing of the surgical site, or cause infections, which are detrimental to the patient's recovery. It is generally recommended to schedule sexual intercourse one or two months after ovarian cancer surgery, and some patients are advised to wait three months. After three months, most patients' physical conditions improve and the incisions heal. In such cases, the likelihood of infection from intercourse is low. Moreover, the frequency of sexual intercourse should not be too frequent or excessive, as it may impact the patient's physical strength or lead to concurrent infections. Furthermore, patients should practice contraception during intercourse after surgery, as pregnancy is not advisable for patients who have undergone radical or palliative surgery for ovarian cancer, since pregnancy can exacerbate the development of the disease.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?

Ultrasound or CT scans detecting ovarian masses, in combination with biopsy or cytological examination that identify cancer cells, can diagnose ovarian cancer. A common method of biopsy includes ultrasound-guided procedures or transvaginal cul-de-sac puncture biopsy of ovarian masses, enabling clear pathological confirmation. Additionally, exploratory laparotomy or early radical surgery for ovarian cancer patients can yield a postoperative pathological diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Moreover, the presence of ascites is a common symptom in ovarian cancer patients; finding cancer cells, especially adenocarcinoma, in ascites, coupled with significantly elevated tumor marker CA125, or ultrasound or CT imagery revealing ovarian masses, can also diagnose ovarian cancer.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

In the early stages, ovarian cancer often doesn't show many symptoms and can be detected during gynecological examinations. However, as it progresses, symptoms such as abdominal bloating, lumps in the abdomen, and ascites may occur. The severity of these symptoms depends on the size and location of the tumor, the extent to which it has invaded nearby organs, the histological type of the tumor, and whether the malignant tumor, ovarian cancer, has metastasized to other areas or is accompanied by other complications.