Tests after an ovarian cancer diagnosis

You may have more tests after your diagnosis to find out:

• How large is the cancer?
• Where exactly is the cancer?
• Has the cancer spread to any other parts of your body?

This is called staging. Tests can help doctors plan your treatment and see how well you are responding to treatment. 

MRI scan: A scan that uses magnetic energy to build up a picture of the tissues inside your body. During the scan you will lie inside a tunnel-like machine.

CT scan: A type of X-ray that gives a detailed picture of the tissues inside your body.

PET - CT scan: A radioactive injection that will show up any cancer spread to other parts of your body on a CT scan picture.

Gastroscopy: This uses a tiny camera attached to a flexible tube, which is passed into your stomach through your mouth. It can check the lining of your stomach to see if there are any cancer cells there.

Blood tests: Blood tests may be done to check your general health and how well your liver and kidneys are working. A blood test called CA125 will also be done. This tests for a protein called CA125 in the blood. CA125 is known as a tumour marker for ovarian cancer, because it is sometimes released from ovarian cancer cells into the blood. Not all women with ovarian cancer will have high levels of CA125 in their blood. But if there is a high level, it may give your doctor extra information to help them plan your treatment. It will also help your doctor to measure how well you are doing during or after treatment.

Transvaginal ultrasound scan: This test is carried out in the X-ray department of the hospital. Before the test you must empty your bladder. You will then be asked to lie on your back. A small metal device called a probe is put into your vagina. It looks like a microphone and gel is placed on it. By doing the test in this way clear pictures of your womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries can be built up using sound waves. This test may be uncomfortable but is not painful.

Image-guided biopsy: This involves taking a biopsy (tissue sample) from your ovaries and possibly from the omentum, a fatty pad of tissue inside your stomach. Image-guided means that the doctor will use an ultrasound or CT scan to guide the needle into the stomach to where the tumour is. 

The doctor will use local anaesthetic to numb the area where the needle is inserted. You may also be given some sedation. The procedure can take between 10 and 20 minutes. You’ll need to stay in hospital for a couple of hours after the biopsy, and possibly overnight. This is because there is a risk of bleeding afterwards. If you’ve been given sedation, you’ll need someone to take you home and stay with you for 24 hours until the effects have completely worn off.

Diagnostic laparoscopy: This test allows your doctor to look at your ovaries and nearby tissues. It can help the team confirm the stage of the cancer, plan surgery or other treatments and decide how best to manage your cancer. It is a small operation done in theatre under a general anaesthetic.

While you are asleep, your doctor makes a small cut in your lower abdomen, near your belly button. They then put a thin mini telescope called a laparoscope into the wound. By looking through the laparoscope your doctor can see your ovaries and take a small sample of tissue (biopsy) and have it examined.

Abdominal fluid aspiration (paracentesis): If you get a build-up of fluid in your abdomen (ascites) a sample can be taken to see if it has any cancer cells. Your doctor will first numb an area of your abdomen before putting a small needle through your skin. This needle can be inserted with the help of ultrasound. Some fluid is taken and then examined under a microscope. 

We have more information about cancer tests.

If you have any questions about staging tests, you can ask one of our cancer nurses by calling our Support Line on 1800 200 700 or visiting a Daffodil Centre.