Ovarian Cancer

Often presents late due to the non-specific symptoms resulting in a worse prognosis. Presents with abdominal bloating, early satiety, pelvic pain, pelvic mass, weight loss, ascites - criteria for 2 week referral.

• Surface epithelial tumours - serous, mucinous, endometrioid
• Germ cell tumours - arise from oocyte, teratomas most common
  • dysgerminoma - malignant, very rare LDH tumour marker
  • yolk sac tumour - malignant, α-FP
  • Choriocarcinoma - extremely malignant, β-HCG
• Sex-cord stroma - rare, produce steroid hormones

CA125 can be used as a tumour marker but not very specific

FIGO staging - 

• Stage 1: Confined to the ovary
• Stage 2: Spread past the ovary but inside the pelvis
• Stage 3: Spread past the pelvis but inside the abdomen
• Stage 4: Spread outside the abdomen (distant metastasis)

Protective factors

• Combined oral contraceptive 
• Breastfeeding
• Pregnancy