Further tests for ovarian cancer
This page tells you about the further tests you may have if you have ovarian cancer. There is information about
Further tests for ovarian cancer
It may not be possible to diagnose ovarian cancer until you have had an operation. If your earlier tests suggest you have ovarian cancer, your specialist may ask you to have further tests before surgery to see how far the cancer has grown, and if it has spread. The results will help your doctor decide on the best possible treatment for you.
If you have a swollen abdomen from a build up of fluid, your doctor may take a sample of the fluid to check for cancer cells. After a local anaesthetic to numb your skin, the doctor puts a thin needle in to draw off some fluid. This goes to the laboratory for examination under a microscope.
Your doctor may want to look inside your abdomen using a camera on a tube. This is called a laparoscopy and allows the doctor to examine your ovaries and the surrounding area. You have a short general anaesthetic. Then the doctor passes the tube through a small cut in your abdomen, looks for any signs of cancer and take tissue samples (biopsies) if necessary.
If you feel anxious waiting for test results, it may help to talk to a close friend or relative about how you are feeling. Or you may want to contact a cancer support group to talk to someone who has been through a similar experience.
You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the Diagnosing ovarian cancer section.
After a first diagnosis of a cancer, it is usual to have more tests to see how far the cancer has grown, and if it has spread. This is called 'staging'. There is more information about the stages of ovarian cancer in the section on treatment.
With ovarian cancer, it is not always possible to diagnose the exact type until after you have had an operation. The surgeon will get tissue samples during the surgery, which will be closely examined in the lab.
You may need to have further tests before surgery to see if the cancer has spread. And to decide on the best treatment. You will not have all the tests mentioned here. The tests you have will depend on your symptoms and which other tests you have had so far.
You may have a chest X-ray to check for any sign of cancer spread to your lungs or fluid build up around the lung (a pleural effusion). You may also have a CT scan or ultrasound scan to check for any signs of cancer around the kidney. Your specialist may suggest an MRI scan, if you have not already had one, but this is not always necessary.
This is a test using a small camera to see inside the body. You have a laparoscopy in hospital under a short general anaesthetic. Your doctor can examine your ovaries and the surrounding area without you having to have a big operation. The laparoscopy camera and a light are contained inside a thin, flexible tube.
The doctor makes a small cut, about half an inch long, in your abdomen. The tube is put through the cut into the abdominal cavity. First, the doctor will pump a small amount of carbon dioxide gas into the abdomen to make it easier to see inside and examine you thoroughly. If necessary, the doctor will take biopsies and send them to the laboratory to be examined for cancer cells. It is also possible to remove the ovaries with a laparoscope, rather than having an operation with a large cut in your tummy. If you have your ovaries removed, they will be sent to the laboratory to be examined for signs of cancer.
When the examination is finished, the doctor takes out the tube and puts in a couple of stitches to close the cut. The stitches stay in for about a week. You will be able to get up as soon as your anaesthetic has worn off. The carbon dioxide gas may make you feel bloated and uncomfortable at first, but it will gradually disappear over a a couple of days.
If you have a swollen tummy (abdomen), this may be due to fluid build up. Fluid build up in the abdomen is called ascites. It can be a sign of ovarian cancer that has spread. It can also be caused by other conditions that are not cancer. Your specialist will want to take a sample of fluid to check for cancer cells.
You have this test in the out patients department. First, you have a local anaesthetic injection into the skin of your abdomen. Once the skin is numb, your doctor puts in a needle to draw out some of the fluid. The fluid then goes to the laboratory to be examined for cancer cells.
If you have a lot of fluid, your doctor may want to drain it to relieve pressure in your abdomen and make you more comfortable. This is called an abdominal tap or abdominal paracentesis (para-sent-ee-sis).
When your test results have come through, your doctor will probably want you to come back to the hospital to discuss them. Getting results is bound to take a little time, even if only a day or two. You may feel very anxious while you are waiting. It may help to talk to a close friend or relative about how you are feeling.
You could also contact a cancer support group, to talk to someone who has been through a similar experience. Look at our list of ovarian cancer organisations - some of them can help put you in touch with a support group. There is also a list of counselling organisations. They can help you to find emotional support and counselling in your area.
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