Medical and family history Medical history includes any health problems and any history of taking medications. Your doctor will want to know about all your medical conditions, symptoms, and any previous tests, labs, or procedures you have had. It helps to make a list at home of any medications you have taken or are still taking, and then bring it to your doctor’s office to help him or her understand how well you are taking them. Ovarian cancer, as well as other health problems, sometimes runs in families. Therefore, it is also important for the doctor to ask about other family members’ health problems and to ask if any of the family members have ovarian cancer and how old they were when they got sick. This information is the family history. Genetic counseling and testing Often no cause can be found for the development of ovarian cancer. However, about 15 out of 100 ovarian cancer cases are caused by genetic changes that can be passed from parent to child, which is known as hereditary ovarian cancer. Based on age, medical history, and family history, doctors will assess how likely it is to develop hereditary ovarian cancer. Most gynecologic oncologists recommend that women with ovarian cancer should undergo genetic counseling. Genetic counseling refers to discussing the risk of disease caused by genetic alterations with experienced specialists who are also known as genetic counselors. Genetic counselors are specially trained to help you understand the genetic changes associated with the disease, can tell you how likely you are to develop hereditary ovarian cancer, and may recommend genetic testing to look for genetic changes that may cause ovarian cancer to develop. The most common cause of hereditary ovarian cancer formation is mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Under normal circumstances, these genes prevent abnormal cell growth by repairing damaged cells. Genetic testing can tell you if you have a BRCA
gene or a mutation in another gene. Abdominal and pelvic exams Your doctor will often examine your body to check for signs of disease while taking a medical history. During the exam, your doctor will listen to your lungs, heart and gastrointestinal tract to assess your general health; he or she will also palpate your body to check for any abnormal changes. The doctor will also examine your abdomen and pelvis During the abdominal examination, the doctor will touch different parts of the abdomen to determine the size and softness of the organ and whether it causes pain when touched. The doctor will also check for fluid accumulation in the abdomen, also known as ascites. During a pelvic exam, the doctor will often use a special dilator to look at the vagina and cervix, and will also take a sample for a cervical smear. The doctor will then check the uterus and ovaries for abnormal changes in size, shape, and position.