At Stanford Health Care, our experienced team leads the nation in diagnosing and treating all types and stages of ovarian cancer. We specialize in delivering advanced treatments and comprehensive support services tailored to your needs. When you come to us, you’ll have a dedicated team of experts dedicated to your well-being.
Overview
About Ovarian Cancer and Fallopian Tube Cancer
What is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer is a kind of cancer that develops in the ovaries or the fallopian tubes. The ovaries, which are two small glands that sit on either side of the uterus, produce hormones and store eggs. The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus.
A rare type of cancer called primary peritoneal cancer is closely related to ovarian cancer. Primary peritoneal cancer (PPC) develops in the peritoneum. This tissue lines the inside of the abdomen as well as organs and glands in the abdomen, including the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bladder, and uterus.
How does ovarian cancer develop?
Cancer develops when the genetic material in cells begins to change abnormally. The cells grow out of control and crowd out healthy cells. Eventually, the cancerous cells form a tumor.
Over time, ovarian cancer can spread to other areas of the body, including the uterus, pelvis, and lymph nodes. It can also spread to the bowel (intestines), liver, lungs, and diaphragm (a thin muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen).
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Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer symptoms can often feel like gastrointestinal (GI) problems. Signs of ovarian cancer include:
- Heavy bleeding or irregular periods
- Bloating or the feeling of fullness in the belly
- Fatigue
- A feeling of fullness quickly after eating
- Gas, cramping, nausea, or constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Swelling in the abdomen
- Pelvic pain, back pain, or pain during sex
- Urinary incontinence and other urinary problems, including having to urinate frequently or urgently
- Unexplained weight gain or loss
Most people who come to Stanford Health Care, after seeing another doctor, have:
- Blood tests showing a biological marker for ovarian cancer, which is a gene mutation (change) that increases the risk of developing certain cancers
- Imaging studies that show an ovarian mass, fluid in the abdomen, or other abnormal findings
Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors
Risk factors increase the chance of developing certain types of cancer and other conditions. Ovarian cancer is more common in older people who have been through menopause. It rarely occurs in people under age 40. Risk factors for ovarian cancer include:
- Family history or personal history of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, or genetic mutations linked to cancer, such as BRCA gene mutations
- No history of full-term pregnancy, or older age (after 35) at first full-term pregnancy
- Obesity
- Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and Lynch syndrome, genetic disorders that increase the risk of certain cancers
- Early age at first menstruation or late-onset menopause
- Use of estrogen after menopause
- Use of fertility medications
Types of Ovarian Cancer
The three main types of ovarian cancer are:
- Epithelial tumors: The most common type, these tumors begin in the layer of tissue covering the outside of the ovaries.
- Germ cell tumors: These tumors begin in the tissue that produces eggs. They are less common than epithelial tumors and can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
- Sex cord stromal tumors: These rare tumors begin in the tissues that produce hormones. They may also be benign or malignant.
Ovarian Cancer Stages
Stages of ovarian cancer include:
- Stage 1: Cancer is growing in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes.
- Stage 2: Cancer has spread from the ovary to other organs in the pelvis, such as the uterus, bladder, or rectum.
- Stage 3: Cancer has spread beyond the pelvis to the abdomen, it may have spread to nearby lymph nodes, and there may be primary peritoneal cancer.
- Stage 4: Cancer has spread outside the abdomen to other organs in the body. Stage 4 is also called metastatic ovarian cancer.
At Stanford Health Care, we tailor our diagnostic evaluation for cancer to each individual. If you already have a diagnosis from a doctor or facility outside Stanford Health Care, we will request your test results from them. Our pathologists (doctors specializing in cancer diagnosis) will review those results and confirm or correct your diagnosis.
If you need further testing to complete your diagnosis, your doctor and care team will work with you to determine which tests you need. Tests may include:
Your doctor may recommend different types of imaging studies. These imaging tests help your doctor diagnose cancer and determine the stage. If you have had screening elsewhere and received abnormal results, we may perform additional imaging, if needed.
Genetic testing is a medical test that identifies changes in genes, chromosomes, or proteins. For sarcomas, genetic testing can show whether you have inherited mutations that heightens your family’s risk of developing sarcoma.
Before and during treatment, your doctor may order blood tests. We remove samples of your blood and test them in a lab. Blood tests can provide a variety of details that help us establish your diagnosis and plan your course of cancer treatment.
Ovarian, Fallopian Tube and Peritoneal Cancer
Our team specializes in diagnosing and treating all types and stages of ovarian cancer. We collaborate to deliver advanced treatments and supportive care.
ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer symptoms
ovarian cancer treatments
signs of ovarian cancer
ovarian cancer survival rate
ovarian cancer causes
ovarian cancer screening
peritoneal cancer
primary peritoneal cancer
fallopian tube cancer
Lynch syndrome
irregular periods