Ovarian cancer is cancer that develops in one of the twoovaries, small glands in the female reproductive system. Ovaries are responsible for producing ova, or eggs. They also produce hormones, like estrogen and progesterone.
Epithelial ovarian cancer is the more common type. It doesn’t always develop in the ovaries though, in spite of its name. Ovarian cancer also arises in related organs, such as the fallopian tubes and peritoneum, the tissue that protects organs in the abdomen.
In some instances, cells in the ovaries, on the fallopian tubes, or on the peritoneum may begin to grow in an unexpected way and multiply out of control.
这些细胞可以形成肿瘤，如果找不到肿瘤，或者如果未经治疗，它会传播（转移）到人体的其他部位。
本文将研究为什么难以检测到卵巢癌，以及如果您认为可能有症状，该怎么办。它还将研究卵巢癌诊断的原因。
Doctors often don’t find ovarian cancer until it has progressed to an advanced stage. In fact, only
Early stage tumors are easier to treat and even cure. However, many ovarian cancers are not found until stages 3 and 4, at which point the cancer has spread within the pelvic region — and sometimes beyond.
Late detection puts many people diagnosed with ovarian cancer at a disadvantage because of how quickly it has spread by this time.
早期的卵巢癌检测和诊断并不常见的原因有几个。这些包括：
Vague symptoms
Ovarian cancer used to be called a “silent” killer. This is because the early symptoms of this cancer can be difficult to detect.
But ovarian cancer is not silent. Symptoms may occur in the early stages and either be ignored or believed to be related to something else.
A
- abdominal bloating
- pressure or pain in the abdomen
- 一顿饭后感觉不寻常
- difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- 排尿变化（包括排尿的增加或感觉到经常排尿的冲动）
- back pain
- 月经变化
- 痛苦的性交
如果这些症状中的任何一个持续存在，或者您的经历超过
没有筛选测试
A colonoscopy can detect colon cancer. A Pap test can detect cervical cancer. But ovarian cancer doesn’t have its own screening test.
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取而代之的是，医生主要依靠身体检查和患者的自我报告来找到这些癌症。
Pelvic exams rarely detect cancer in the early stages
Ovaries are positioned deep inside the abdominal cavity. This can make it difficult to feel a lump or enlarged area. Sometimes, doctors can’t even detect an abnormality during a pelvic exam.
Imaging tests are frequently used to find tumors. Typically, a doctor doesn’t order these tests without suspicion of a tumor, making it even more important not to ignore symptoms or changes in your body.
就像没有针对卵巢癌的筛查测试一样，也没有可以诊断卵巢癌的单一测试。
取而代之的是，医疗保健专业人员将依靠多个测试来确定肿瘤是否在卵巢内生长。如果发现肿瘤，则可能会进行其他测试以确定是否癌症。
最常使用的诊断测试包括：
- Pelvic exam.During a pelvic exam, a healthcare professional will feel your abdomen and pelvic area for signs of enlarged ovaries.
- Transvaginal ultrasound (TVU).During a TVU, a healthcare professional places a small instrument inside the vagina. It sends back images of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus. This test can only see growths; it can’t determine if they’re cancerous.
- 验血。Cancer antigen 125 (or CA-125) is biomarker frequently found in high levels in people with ovarian or fallopian tube cancer. However, other health conditions can cause elevated CA-125 levels, so it is also not a definitive test.
- 手术舞台。A surgeon will remove tumor tissue in order to take a biopsy of the tissue’s tumor. The biopsy determines if the tumor is cancerous. This biopsy is often done during surgery to remove all visible cancer.
如果这些测试表明可能存在卵巢癌（并且活检证实肿瘤是癌症），您的医生也可能会订购测试以确定癌症是否已经超出了卵巢。
These tests may include a:
- colonoscopy
- chest X-ray
- positron emission tomography (PET) scan
A healthcare professional may want to review your individual risk factors for ovarian cancer. These factors increase a person’s risk for developing ovarian cancer, though they do not guarantee a person will develop it.
Risk factors include:
- 卵巢癌的家族史
- a personal history of breast, uterine, or colorectal cancer
- the presence of genetic mutations, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, associated with ovarian cancer
- a history of fertility drug or hormone therapy usage
- not having biological children
- endometriosis
- 年龄（很少有
women under 40 develop ovarian cancer) - obesity
Likewise, people with these risk factors may have more regular exams to look for signs of enlarged ovaries or other symptoms of ovarian cancer.
If doctors screen regularly for skin cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and more, you might think it makes sense to conduct regular screening for ovarian cancer. But there’s a reason ovarian cancer screening isn’t standard.
In fact,2016 research在宾夕法尼亚大学医学院外，发现卵巢癌的平均风险患者接受了TVU和CA-125血液检查作为卵巢癌筛查的人最终进行了更多的测试，有时甚至是不必要的手术。
额外的筛查和测试并没有减少卵巢癌引起的死亡人数。
Genetic testing has some value in determining a person’s predisposition for ovarian cancer. People with the BRCA1 and BRCA 2 gene mutations or other gene mutations are at a higher risk for the cancer.
However, not everyone with gene mutations will develop the cancer. Screening can be expensive, too, which also helps explain why regular screening for ovarian cancer isn’t more commonplace.
Instead,genetic counseling通常建议进行卵巢癌诊断后进行测试。这些信息可以帮助您的癌症护理团队选择更好的治疗方法，并了解其他健康并发症的风险因素。
If ovarian cancer is suspected, your doctor should refer you to a gynecologic oncologist (GO). These specialists diagnose, analyze, and treat ovarian cancers.
The oncologist may request additional testing. This can help them determine if a tumor is present and if it’s cancerous. It can also help them see if the cancer has spread beyond the ovary.
如果发现卵巢癌，您可能会立即开始治疗。通常建议进行手术。在此手术期间，肿瘤学家可能会去除子宫，卵巢和输卵管。
化学疗法也是一种常见治疗方法。可能需要进行其他手术以去除骨盆和腹部中的淋巴结和组织。
Early stage ovarian cancer can be difficult to detect, but it’s not impossible. Early detection is vital for successful treatment. There is no regular screening for ovarian cancer, but doctors can run tests to help properly diagnose what’s happening in your body.
Pay attention to symptoms or changes in your body, and make an appointment with a GO, who can help get to the root of what you’re experiencing.