If you've been told that you have ovarian cancer, you may want to talk to your doctor to find out more.

Here are some questions that you might want to ask.

Questions about your diagnosis

• What stage is my ovarian cancer?

• What grade is it?

• Is my ovarian cancer linked to certain genes I got from my parents? (More than 95 percent of cases aren't.)

Questions about your treatment

• Will my operation be done by a surgeon experienced in treating this type of cancer? And will it be done in a hospital that specialises in treating cancer? (The results are likely to be better if it is.)

• Which of my organs will be taken out?

• How long will I have to stay in hospital?

• What side effects can I expect from surgery?

• Will I need chemotherapy?

• If I need chemotherapy, will I have to stay in hospital for it? Or will I have it as an outpatient?

• What side effects can I expect from chemotherapy?

• How will treatment affect my usual activities?

Questions about your life after treatment

• How often will I need check-ups after treatment?

• What will happen during these check-ups?

• How soon will I be able to get back to my usual activities (for example, work, sport, sex, housework, shopping)?

• How will treatment affect my sex life?

Questions about the medical team looking after you

• Who will be looking after me?

• Who do I call if I have questions or problems?

• How do I get in touch with local support groups?

Glossary

chemotherapy

The use of chemicals or drugs to treat or prevent disease, usually cancer.

genes

Your genes are the parts of your cells that contain instructions for how your body works. Genes are found on chromosomes, structures that sit in the nucleus at the middle of each of your cells. You have 23 pairs of chromosomes in your normal cells, each of which has thousands of genes. You get one set of chromosomes, and all of the genes that are on them, from each of your parents.

For more terms related to Ovarian cancer

Citations