What causes ovarian cancer?

Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

Updated on March 29, 2025

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The causes of ovarian cancer, and its mechanism of onset, are not yet very clear. Some risk factors that have been relatively well established in relation to the occurrence of ovarian cancer include early menarche, which means starting menstruation at an earlier age, late menopause, and not having a history of pregnancy; these conditions are some of the risk factors for ovarian cancer. Additionally, the occurrence of ovarian cancer is also somewhat related to familial or genetic factors.

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

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Is there still hope for ovarian cancer recurrence?

Most ovarian malignant tumors, which are ovarian cancers, are relatively sensitive to chemotherapy. Therefore, in many cases, the treatment of ovarian cancer is a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Even if ovarian cancer recurs, there are still many treatment options available, with chemotherapy being the most commonly used method. Many patients can still benefit from chemotherapy.

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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 Liu Liang

Oncology

1min

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Symptoms of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer patients, especially those in the early stages, typically have inconspicuous symptoms, possibly without any noticeable discomfort. The disease is often discovered during gynecological examinations through the detection of abdominal masses. In advanced-stage patients, as the abdominal mass progressively enlarges, symptoms may include abdominal pain, lower abdominal bloating, and pelvic pressure symptoms due to compression of nearby organs. There may be partial intestinal obstruction, presenting as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and inability to pass stool or gas. Another symptom is ascites, characterized by progressive enlargement and bloating of the abdomen. Ascites is a common clinical manifestation in ovarian cancer patients, and a significant portion of patients are diagnosed with ovarian cancer after presenting with ascites as the initial symptom.

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

1min 1sec

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Symptoms of ovarian cancer brain metastasis

Patients with ovarian cancer experiencing brain metastases are relatively uncommon in clinical settings. The primary symptom of brain metastasis is intracranial hypertension, which includes severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, including projectile vomiting during meals — all symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Additionally, if there is significant brain swelling, the patient may experience weakness in the limbs on the opposite side of the body, similar to symptoms of paralysis seen in stroke patients. Furthermore, if the brain metastasis leads to the formation of a brain herniation, the patient may experience symptoms such as coma.

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

1min 12sec

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How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?

Ovarian cancer is discovered through transvaginal ultrasound of the adnexa uteri revealing ovarian tumors, or through imaging studies such as abdominal CT scans or MRIs showing ovarian tumors, combined with tumor markers, particularly the ovarian epithelial cancer tumor marker CA125, which will be significantly elevated. Generally, with these findings, ovarian cancer can typically be clinically diagnosed. Confirmation, however, requires pathological diagnosis, which involves obtaining a biopsy of the tumor. This can be done through a puncture biopsy or through pathological examination after surgical excision to confirm ovarian cancer. Additionally, some patients with ovarian cancer present with substantial ascites at the time of discovery. If cancer cells are found in the abdominal fluid, combined with a significant increase in CA125 and imaging studies showing ovarian tumors, ovarian cancer can also be diagnosed.