What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer affects the ovaries or fallopian tubes — often diagnosed late because early symptoms are vague — bloating, feeling full quickly, tummy pain, and needing to urinate often. See a GP if these symptoms are new, frequent (more than 12 days a month), and persistent. CA125 blood test and ultrasound help assessment — not screening test for general population. Treatment is usually surgery and chemotherapy. Higher risk if BRCA gene mutation or strong family history.

What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Persistent bloating, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, abdominal or pelvic pain, urinary urgency or frequency. Less commonly — back pain, fatigue, changed bowel habit, weight loss. Symptoms usually frequent (more than 12 days monthly) and persistent over weeks — not one-off bloating after large meal.

Is there a screening test for ovarian cancer?

No UK national screening — CA125 plus ultrasound in general population not proven to save lives in trials. High-risk women (BRCA carriers) may have risk-reducing surgery (salpingo-oophorectomy) after completing family — specialist genetics clinic.

Blood protein often elevated in epithelial ovarian cancer — GP may check with ultrasound if symptoms suggest. Elevated CA125 has many benign causes — endometriosis, fibroids, liver disease, menstruation. Normal CA125 does not exclude cancer — especially early stage.

How is ovarian cancer treated?

Surgery — total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, lymph node assessment — often followed by platinum-based chemotherapy (carboplatin + paclitaxel). Some receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery. Targeted drugs — PARP inhibitors (olaparib) for BRCA-mutated or HRD-positive disease maintenance.

Can ovarian cysts be cancer?

Most ovarian cysts in premenopausal women are benign (functional cysts). Postmenopausal simple ovarian cysts need ultrasound surveillance — complex cysts with solid components, ascites, or rising CA125 need urgent gynae-oncology referral.

Ovarian cancer: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Ovarian cancer — the silent spreader

Ovarian cancer includes cancers of ovary, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneum — often grouped as high-grade serous carcinoma — ~7,500 UK cases yearly.

Late diagnosis common — symptoms mimic IBS, UTI, menopause — know persistent pattern.

Symptoms — BEACH / NICE guidance

Persistent (≥3 weeks), frequent (≥12 days/month):

Bloating — increased abdominal size
Eating difficulty — early satiety
Abdominal/pelvic pain
Changes in bowel/bladder habit
H — healthcare visit if concerned

Also:

back pain
fatigue
unintentional weight loss

Not: one meal bloating — pattern over weeks.

Risk factors

age — peak 75–79
BRCA1/BRCA2 — 40–60% lifetime risk BRCA1
family history — breast + ovarian
** Lynch syndrome (HNPCC)**
** endometriosis** — modest increase
HRT — small increase — individual discussion
nulliparity, late menopause

Oral contraceptive — reduces risk — protective

No screening programme

UKCTOCS trial — annual CA125 + ultrasound — did not reduce mortality sufficiently — no population screen.

High-risk pathway:

genetics clinic
risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy — BRCA after family complete — ~ age 35–40 BRCA1, 40–45 BRCA2

Diagnosis

GP assessment:

abdominal examination — ascites, mass
CA125 — if ≥50 or suspicious symptoms younger
pelvic ultrasound — transvaginal

Risk of malignancy index (RMI) — guides 2-week wait gynae-oncology

CT chest/abdomen/pelvis — staging

Diagnosis — histology at surgery or image-guided biopsy

Treatment

Surgery:

total hysterectomy, BSO, omentectomy, peritoneal staging
optimal debulking — no visible residual improves survival

Chemotherapy:

carboplatin + paclitaxel — 6 cycles
intraperitoneal selected cases

Maintenance:

PARP inhibitors — BRCA mutated, HRD positive
bevacizumab selected

Advanced/recurrent — platinum rechallenge, clinical trials

Ovarian cancer vs IBS

	Ovarian cancer	IBS
Onset	New persistent	Often years
Bloating	Progressive	Variable
Age	Postmenopausal peak	Any
CA125/US	May abnormal	Normal

See IBS — do not label new 60-year-old bloating IBS without examination.

Persistent BEACH symptoms — GP within weeks, not months — curable stages exist when found early.

Common questions about ovarian cancer

What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?: Persistent bloating, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, abdominal or pelvic pain, urinary urgency or frequency. Less commonly — back pain, fatigue, changed bowel habit, weight loss. Symptoms usually frequent (more than 12 days monthly) and persistent over weeks — not one-off bloating after large meal.
Is there a screening test for ovarian cancer?: No UK national screening — CA125 plus ultrasound in general population not proven to save lives in trials. High-risk women (BRCA carriers) may have risk-reducing surgery (salpingo-oophorectomy) after completing family — specialist genetics clinic.
What is CA125?: Blood protein often elevated in epithelial ovarian cancer — GP may check with ultrasound if symptoms suggest. Elevated CA125 has many benign causes — endometriosis, fibroids, liver disease, menstruation. Normal CA125 does not exclude cancer — especially early stage.
How is ovarian cancer treated?: Surgery — total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, lymph node assessment — often followed by platinum-based chemotherapy (carboplatin + paclitaxel). Some receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery. Targeted drugs — PARP inhibitors (olaparib) for BRCA-mutated or HRD-positive disease maintenance.
Can ovarian cysts be cancer?: Most ovarian cysts in premenopausal women are benign (functional cysts). Postmenopausal simple ovarian cysts need ultrasound surveillance — complex cysts with solid components, ascites, or rising CA125 need urgent gynae-oncology referral.

Sources

How we reviewed this page

Medically reviewed by the HealthAnswers UK doctor review panel

First published: 14 June 2026
Medically reviewed: 3 July 2026
Next review due: 3 July 2029 or sooner if NHS or NICE guidance changes

Written by HealthAnswers editorial team. Published by HealthAnswers (Elite Digital AI Solutions Ltd). How we review content · Report a problem with this page