Questions and Answers - Recent questions and answers in Ovarian Cancer

What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:06:29 +0000

Answered: Who is more likely to have fallopian tube cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:06:03 +0000

You may have a higher chance of having it if you've:

Having a close relative (mother, sister, daughter) with ovarian or breast cancer also raises your risk. You're more likely to get fallopian tube cancer if you inherited a change (mutation) to the BRCA gene, which makes ovarian and breast cancers more likely.

Never given birth
Never breastfed a child
Never used birth control pills

Answered: What is a CA125 test?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:04:44 +0000

It's used to diagnose fallopian tube cancer. Fallopian tube cancers release a protein called CA125 that can show up in your blood. Having high CA125 levels doesn't mean you definitely have cancer. Fibroids, pregnancy, and other conditions can also raise CA125 levels. You'll need other tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Answered: How is fallopian tube cancer diagnosed?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:03:33 +0000

Your doctor will first ask about your symptoms and your family medical history. The doctor might gently press on your belly to feel for any lumps or tender spots.

You might have one or more of these tests:

Pelvic exam
Ultrasound
CT, or computed tomography, scan
MRI
Biopsy
CA125 test

Answered: What is palliative care for fallopian tube cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:01:29 +0000

Palliative care is an important part of treating your cancer. It is not always the same as hospice care. You can still get treatment, but you also get care for pain, emotional stress, and other issues related to your cancer that can affect your quality of life.

Answered: What is fallopian tube cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:59:41 +0000

Fallopian tube cancer starts in the fallopian tubes, which connect a woman's ovaries to her uterus. Each month, an ovary releases one egg into the fallopian tube. The egg either gets fertilized by sperm, or it passes out of the body during a menstrual period.

Fallopian tube cancer is very rare. Only about 1% of all reproductive cancers in women start in the fallopian tubes.

This type of cancer is treatable. If you're diagnosed with it, your doctor can help you understand your options.

Answered: What are some reasons for ovary removal surgery?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:59:08 +0000

There are many reasons your doctor may recommend surgery to remove your ovaries. Some women with a gene called BRCA, the most common gene for breast and ovarian cancers, may choose surgery to help lessen their risk of getting cancer. Other women may have the operation to treat cancer. Problems like ovarian cysts, abscesses, benign tumors, or endometriosis are also conditions that may need this surgery.

Answered: Which surgeries treat fallopian tube cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:58:10 +0000

Surgery is the main treatment for fallopian tube cancer. Which type of surgery you get depends on the stage of your cancer -- its size and where it has spread.

Salpingo-oophorectomy removes one or both fallopian tubes and ovaries. Total hysterectomyremoves the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes.

You may get chemotherapy after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that are left behind.

Sometimes radiation is done before surgery to shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove.

Answered: What anesthesia is used for surgery to take out ovaries?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:57:11 +0000

Usually, surgery to remove ovaries requires general anesthesia, so you will not be awake.

But, in some cases, local anesthesia may be used. That means only the area being worked on is numbed.

Answered: I haven’t had menopause yet. How will surgery to remove my ovaries affect me?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:56:15 +0000

If you have not yet reached natural menopause and have surgery to remove your ovaries, you will have what is called “surgical” menopause. Among other things, this can cause:

Your doctor may recommend low-dose hormone therapy, or other medications and lifestyle changes, to help you with the symptoms.

Hot flashes
Vaginal dryness
A higher risk of osteoporosis

Answered: What happens during ovary removal surgery?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:55:42 +0000

Depending on the medical condition you’re treated for, you may just have one ovary removed, both ovaries removed, or both ovaries removed as well as your fallopian tubes. Sometimes, surgery to remove the ovaries is also performed during hysterectomy, or the surgical removal of the uterus.

Answered: How will ovary removal surgery affect fertility?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:53:23 +0000

Younger women considering ovary removal surgery may have concerns about their fertility, or whether or not they can become pregnant.

It will depend on your situation. For example, if only one ovary is removed, the remaining ovary will probably still produce estrogen. And you will still have a menstrual cycle and be able to become pregnant.

There are other ways to aid your fertility. Make sure you talk to your doctor about all your options.

Answered: What causes fallopian tube cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:52:24 +0000

Doctors don't know exactly why fallopian tube cancer happens. One theory is that long-lasting infections of the reproductive tract might trigger this cancer. But this hasn't been proved.

Answered: Can you get pregnant after fallopian tube cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:51:15 +0000

It is possible to get pregnant after you're treated for fallopian tube cancer. Your doctor may be able to remove just one ovary and fallopian tube. Even if both ovaries are removed, you may be able to freeze your eggs or embryos before the surgery and get pregnant in the future.

If you plan to have children, talk to your doctor about your options before you have surgery. The doctor may be able to take steps to preserve your fertility.

Answered: How long does it take to recover from ovary removal surgery?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:50:41 +0000

Your doctor will give you instructions about your return to an active lifestyle after ovary removal surgery. But, in general, how quickly you can return to normal activities depends on your overall medical condition before surgery, the reason for your surgery, and the way your surgery was done. Most women return to an active life about 6 weeks after surgery. Women who had laparoscopic surgery or robot-assisted surgery generally have quicker recoveries of about 2 weeks.

Answered: What are symptoms of fallopian tube cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:49:57 +0000

Some women don't have any signs of this kind of cancer. But if you do, they can include:

Many different conditions cause these symptoms. If you have them, it doesn't necessarily mean you have cancer. But you should check with your doctor, just to be sure.

Bleeding from the vagina when you don't have your period
White, clear, or pink discharge from the vagina
Pain or pressure in your lower belly
Lump or swelling in your lower belly

Answered: How is laparoscopic surgery used to take out the ovaries?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:48:56 +0000

In laparoscopic surgery to remove the ovaries, a surgeon puts a camera, called a laparoscope, through a tiny cut in your bellybutton. She’ll see your ovaries on a monitor. The doctor will also make several other small cuts, as needed, in your belly with special surgical tools.

The ovaries are removed through a small cut in your belly or vagina.

In some cases, you doctor may begin with a laparoscopic technique, but once she sees what’s happening inside, she may need to do an open procedure.

Answered: What is a robotic-assisted ovary removal surgery?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:48:16 +0000

In robotic-assisted ovary removal, your doctor makes several small cuts to put a robot’s camera and special instruments in place to see the ovaries and other organs. Your doctor, who is always in control of the robotic device, will then use the robot’s arms to remove the ovaries.

In some cases, you doctor may begin with a laparoscopic technique, but once she sees what’s happening inside, she may need to do an open procedure.

Answered: What is an open procedure to take out the ovaries?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:47:47 +0000

An “open” procedure is the traditional way to perform surgery to remove the ovaries.

Using this method, your doctor will make one large incision, or cut, in your belly. This will allow him to see your ovaries, to separate each one from other tissues and the arteries that supply blood, and then remove them.

Answered: What are the risks of ovary removal surgery?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:47:08 +0000

During ovary removal surgery, there may be a risk of too much bleeding. This is usually fixed by blood transfusions. There could also be damage to the bladder or bowel. This happens in less than 1% of all cases.

Days or weeks after surgery, you may get an infection. Or you could get a hernia, which is a weakness in the muscle near the cut.

Ovary removal is usually considered safe. Remember that if your doctor advises you to have this surgery, it means the benefits outweigh the risks.

Answered: What is the link between menopause and ovarian cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:46:21 +0000

Menopause doesn't cause ovarian cancer. But you’re more likely to get it simply as you get older. Ovarian cancer can happen at any age, but it’s most common in women over 50. Women 62 and older make up half of all ovarian cancer cases.

There are a few things related to menopause that may affect your risk of developing ovarian cancer.

If you start menopause late -- usually after age 52 -- your chances may be higher. That could be because you've had more ovulations. Those are the times when your menstrual cycle triggers your hormones to release an egg.

Answered: What's the link between hormone therapy and ovarian cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:45:38 +0000

Many women take hormone therapy to cope with menopause symptoms like hot flashes and osteoporosis. Some studies suggest that taking those hormones may raise your chances for ovarian cancer. That may be especially true if you take just the hormone estrogen (without progesterone) for at least 5 years.

In general, it seems that the longer you take any type of hormone therapy, the greater your chance of developing cancer. If you're considering hormone therapy to help with your menopause symptoms, talk to your doctor about benefits and risks.

Answered: What questions can I ask my doctor about ovarian cancer?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:44:55 +0000

You may want to ask your doctor: Has my ovarian cancer spread?
What are my treatment options? What do you recommend, and why?
What are the side effects?
Should I get tested for the BRCA-1 BRCA-2 mutations? What will the results tell me?

Answered: What are symptoms of ovarian cancer when you are in menopause?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:44:02 +0000

Women often don't know they have ovarian cancer until it has spread. By then, it's often very hard to treat.

When you’re nearing or in menopause, it’s important to know the symptoms of ovarian cancer and what to look for. They include weight loss, bloating, swelling, pelvic pain, and constipation.