Ovarian cancer tests
This page gives information about the tests used to diagnose ovarian cancer. There is information about
Ovarian cancer tests
You will usually see your family doctor first, who will ask you about your general health and examine you. Your doctor will ask about any symptoms you have had. He or she may take a blood sample to send away for testing. You doctor may want to examine you internally to see if your womb and ovaries feel normal. Your GP may then refer you to a gynaecologist at your local hospital.
At the hospital
The specialist will ask you about your medical history and symptoms. He or she will then examine you. You may have another internal examination. If your specialist is concerned that you may have ovarian cancer, you will have some tests arranged. These may include a blood test for CA125 an ultrasound, a CT scan or a MRI scan. In the full length version of this page, there is information about each of these tests.
While you are waiting for 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 similar experiences.
Usually, you begin by seeing your family doctor who will ask you about your general health and gently feel your tummy (abdomen). You will be asked about any symptoms you have. Your GP may do an internal examination and take a blood sample which can be sent away for testing for CA125.
Your GP may want to examine you internally to see if your womb and ovaries feel normal. You can ask for a female doctor to do this if you prefer. The doctor will ask you to lie on your back on the couch with your feet drawn up and your knees apart. They will then put one or two gloved fingers into your vagina at the same time as pressing down on your tummy (abdomen) with their other hand. They may be able to feel if there are any swellings or lumps in your ovaries of womb.
Your doctor may then put a speculum into the vagina to see if your cervix looks normal. This examination shouldn't take more than five minutes at most.
Your doctor may then refer you to a gynaecologist at your local hospital.
The specialist will begin by asking you about your medical history and symptoms. They will then examine you. You may be asked to have another internal examination. If your specialist is concerned that you may have ovarian cancer, you will have some tests arranged. You may have a blood test for CA125 if your GP had not already organised one. You may also have an ultrasound.
CA125 is a protein produced by some ovarian cancers. It can be found in the blood. Some other conditions of the womb and ovaries also produce CA125, such as
- endometriosis
- fibroids
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- pregnancy
So CA125 is not a completely reliable test for ovarian cancer.
Most women have a low level of CA125 in their blood. Depending on the type of blood test used, if the level is higher than 22.5, 30 or 35 units per millilitre (ml) of blood, it is a sign that there is some kind of problem and you will need to have further tests. However, some women normally have levels of CA125 higher than this.
The CA125 blood level is raised in about half the women who have early stage ovarian cancer. About 9 out of 10 women (90%) with more advanced ovarian cancer have raised CA125 levels.
If you are found to have ovarian cancer that produces CA125, the CA125 blood test can be used to monitor how well your treatment is working.
This may be an abdominal ultrasound or a transvaginal ultrasound. Both types of ultrasound test may be used to help diagnose ovarian cancer. It can help to show whether
- The ovaries are the right size
- The ovaries look normal in texture
- There are any cysts in the ovaries
Transvaginal ultrasound can help to show whether any cysts on your ovaries contain cancer or not. If a cyst has any solid areas it is more likely to be cancer.
If you have a large cyst and are past your menopause or you have a cyst that shows any sign it may contain cancer cells, your specialist will recommend that you have surgery to have it removed and looked at in the laboratory. If the specialist cannot be sure whether an abnormality is cancer or not they may ask you to have a CT scan or an MRI scan to show the ovaries more clearly. Sometimes though, it is not possible to diagnose ovarian cancer for certain without an operation.
This is a type of X-ray that takes pictures from different angles. The pictures are fed into a computer to form a detailed picture of the inside of your body. Your doctor uses the scan to get a detailed picture of the ovaries and surrounding areas. Before a CT scan you may be asked
- Not to eat or drink for four hours before the test
- To drink a special liquid a few hours before the test
- To drink more of the liquid in the X-ray department
There is more about having a CT scan in the CancerHelp UK section about cancer tests.
This scan uses magnetism to build up a picture of the body. It can give a picture of the ovaries and surrounding areas. There is detailed information about MRI scans in the CancerHelp UK section about cancer tests.
If any of these tests suggest that you may have ovarian cancer, your specialist may want to do further tests before you have surgery.
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