Ovarian cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers of the female reproductive system and is generally diagnosed in advanced stages because the symptoms often don’t appear until the cancer is in its later stages, said Dr. Mauricio León Rivera, Surgical Oncologist of our clinic.

Likewise, he said that persistent pain in the pelvic or abdominal area, back pain, swelling of the abdomen and pelvis, a quick feeling of fullness when eating, changes in toilet habits, such as urgency to urinate, and/or constipation among others, are the most common signs.

He added that this disease occurs in women generally between 55 and 65 years old, although there is a special type of neoplasm called germ cells that occur at younger ages. In general, this neoplasm is associated with age, family history (BRCA gene), environmental aspects such as high-fat diet, obesity, and habits such as smoking.

“There are more than thirty different types of ovarian tumors, which are classified according to the cell type, some are benign and do not spread outside the ovary, others are malignant and can spread to other parts of the body”, said the specialist.

According to Dr. Mauricio León, ovarian cancer treatment is multidisciplinary, including surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy depending on the clinical stage of the disease.

Dr. Mauricio León
Surgical Oncologist at Clínica Ricardo Palma