Q:   What is ovarian cancer?
A:   There are almost 40 different types of ovarian cancer. However, nine out of 10 ovarian cancer patients have a common epithelial tumor, which begins in the surface tissue of the ovary (epithelium).

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Q:   What causes ovarian cancer?
A:   The specific cause of ovarian cancer is unknown. But there are some common risk factors, including your personal and family history, using talcum powder on sanitary napkins or on the vaginal area, infertility and fertility drugs to name a few.

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Q:   What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?
A:   Ovarian cancer is often referred to as the "silent killer" because symptoms are easily mistaken as other conditions; by the time they're associated with ovarian cancer, the disease has already spread through a woman's abdomen and beyond. But that's not always the case. Regardless, symptoms include: a feeling of being bloated; vague abdominal and pelvic discomfort; and gastrointestinal symptoms such as gas, back pain and fatigue.

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Q:   What kinds of tests will my health care professional want me to take?
A:   It depends on your health, age and history. Remember, sometimes diagnosing a disease is a matter of ruling other things out first, so you may have to go through a number of different tests so your health care professional can make a firm diagnosis. One of the first might be a Pap smear. After that, you may have a CA-125 blood test, abdominal or transvaginal ultrasound, a CAT scan, a lower GI series (barium enema), and an intravenous pyelogram. All of these tests are described in the "Diagnosis" section.

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