How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?

Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Early screening for ovarian cancer allows for about 20% of cases to be diagnosed in their early stages. Detection generally follows these procedures: 1. Routine gynecological health check-ups. 2. Visiting a hospital due to certain symptoms. 3. Ovarian cancer screening. Common methods include transvaginal ultrasound and serum CA125 testing. Additional tests include tumor marker CA125 and checks for AFP, CA19-9, and CEA. Ultrasonography (B-ultrasound) can preliminarily determine the tumor size, shape, solidity, location, and its relation to surrounding organs. CT scans and MRI can further clarify the tumor's nature and the extent of invasion into the abdominal and pelvic organs. If necessary, gastroscopy can be performed to rule out primary gastrointestinal tumors, and if economic conditions allow, a PADCT scan can also be conducted.

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Does ovarian cancer hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy work?

Patients with ovarian cancer are prone to peritoneal metastasis, so many patients develop ascites during the discovery of the disease or its progression. A large amount of ascites is a common concurrent symptom in patients with ovarian cancer. For patients with significant ascites like this, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) can be performed, which involves infusing chemotherapy drugs into the abdominal cavity and then combining it with thermotherapy. This treatment generally has a decent effect, especially in controlling the spread of cancer cells in the peritoneum and managing ascites.

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How many years can one live with ovarian cancer?

The survival period of ovarian cancer patients is influenced by various factors including the specific stage of the cancer, whether there is residual tumor after surgery, the size of any residual tumor, the pathological type of the cancer, the presence of high-risk factors for recurrence such as vascular tumor thrombus, neural invasion, lymph node metastasis, etc., as well as the patient's age, overall condition, the presence of severe comorbidities, and the patient's response and sensitivity to treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Survival periods vary due to differences in stages and treatment sensitivities, meaning it cannot be generalized; there is significant individual variation in survival outcomes.

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Location of abdominal pain in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer in patients manifests as tumors in either both ovaries or one ovary. Therefore, the abdominal pain they experience is lower abdominal pain, not bloating or sudden, noticeable increase in abdominal size. Additionally, the primary pathway for the metastasis of ovarian cancer is through implantation, allowing widespread metastatic implants in the pelvic and abdominal cavities. There is also local spread of the tumor to the uterus, fallopian tubes, and surrounding pelvic tissues. Thus, the location of abdominal pain in ovarian cancer is in the lower abdomen, specifically pain and bloating in the pelvic area.

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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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early symptoms of ovarian cancer

The early symptoms of ovarian cancer in patients are often not very obvious, so they are not easily noticed. The more common symptom is an abdominal mass, meaning you can feel a lump in the abdomen. In its early stages, the abdominal mass is not large and is not easily detectable. Most patients only discover it during gynecological examinations. As the disease progresses, the mass grows larger and the abdomen visibly expands, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, or lower abdominal discomfort. Another symptom is ascites, which is a more common sign in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.