Symptoms of Ovarian cancer include:

• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain or cramping
• Feeling full quickly after starting to eat or lack of appetite
• Indigestion or upset stomach
• Nausea
• The need to urinate more frequently or urgently than normal
• A pressure in the lower back or pelvis
• Unexplained exhaustion

Having any of these symptoms does not mean it is cancer, but if one or more of them is noticed for more than two weeks then a doctor must be seen and an immediate health screening is a must.

Ovarian cancer is usually diagnosed with a pelvic examination and transvaginal ultrasound. A surgical biopsy of the tissue is used to confirm the diagnosis; additional imaging tests may be performed to determine if the disease has spread. At Apollo Hospital Lucknow we can perform biopsy with high precision with CT or MRI which helps in accurate diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer.

The primary treatments for epithelial ovarian cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, delivered alone or in combination with another therapy.

The standard treatment for ovarian cancer is surgery for diagnosis, staging (determining the extent of cancer), and tumour debulking or cytoreduction followed by chemotherapy. For cancers that appear to be confined to the ovary, the use of less invasive techniques to remove the tumour(s) is adopted. At Apollo Hospital Lucknow laparoscopic procedures, performed through small incisions made into the abdomen, can be used to biopsy and stage, and also to determine the extent of a cancer.

Depending on the size and location of the tumour, laparoscopy also can be used to remove cancerous tissue, meaning that a more extensive open surgery can be avoided. Such surgical approaches result in shorter hospital stays, a quicker recovery, and lower costs, and are as effective as conventional surgery. For selected younger patients, fertility preservation (retaining a normal ovary and the uterus) can be considered. Early-stage ovarian cancer with minimally invasive surgery is equally effective and accurate as staging during open surgery.

To destroy any tumour cells that remain after surgery, chemotherapy is recommended for the majority of women with ovarian cancer. This usually includes a combination of systemic and regional chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy may be given over a period of several weeks. It is rarely used as a primary treatment for ovarian cancer but is sometimes considered after the removal of a recurrent tumour or in the treatment of a recurrence.