Diagnosing ovarian cancer

While women of any age may develop ovarian cancer, it’s usually found in women between the ages of 55 and 64.

Diagnosing cancer also means finding out what type it is and how far it has spread. Then doctors can decide on the correct treatment. If your doctor finds something suspicious during a pelvic exam, or if you have symptoms that could be related to ovarian cancer, your doctor will want exams and tests to find the cause.

These are some of the tests that are used to diagnose ovarian cancer:

Pelvic exam – the doctor will physically check for tumors.

Ultrasound – uses high-energy sound waves to make a picture of the ovary.

Ovarian biopsy – the tumor itself or a small piece of it is tested to find out the type

MRI – helpful in detecting tumors in other areas of the body

CT scan – may help determine tumor size and whether cancer has spread to other places.

PET/CT scan – may detect the presence of cancer before other methods

Blood tests – look for abnormalities in a wide variety of blood components.

Genetic testing – to find out if you have a genetic mutation like BRCA1 or BRCA2

X-ray – used to look for ovarian cancer spread to the lungs.

Colonoscopy – used to check for ovarian cancer that has spread to the colon.

Molecular testing – to find out if you have a genetic syndrome, like Lynch Syndrome.

Blood screening test – new biomarkers that enable the early detection of ovarian cancer

If you’re told you have ovarian cancer

Your doctor will explain what your test results mean and what will happen next. Surgery is the main treatment for most ovarian cancers. Being told you have ovarian cancer can feel overwhelming. It can help to bring someone with you to any appointments you have.