Initial tests

• Examination by a doctor
  Your doctor may feel an enlarged ovary or discover a suspicious abnormality.

• Ultrasound scan
  This is a painless test used to see the structures inside your body. The probe may be placed on your abdomen or inside your vagina to scan the ovaries.

• Blood test
  A protein called CA-125 can be detected in a blood sample. The level of CA-125 can be high in women with ovarian cancer. Blood test is also often used to monitor the effects of treatment for ovarian cancer. 

Further Tests
You may be advised to go for further tests depending on the symptoms that you have and the results of the initial tests.

• CT or MRI scan of the lower abdomen can provide details of the internal organs structure and help to determine the extent of the disease.

• A chest X-ray to check if the cancer has spread to your lungs.
• Blood tests to assess your general health and to check if the cancer has affected the function of your liver or kidneys.
• Scans of the bowel or urinary tract eg. Colonoscopy (a procedure to look inside
  your bowel). These tests are more likely to be needed if you have symptoms such as constipation or urinary frequency which may indicate that the cancer has spread to these areas.

• Aspiration of fluid. If your abdomen is swollen with fluid leading to ascites, a sample of fluid will be taken. This is done by numbing a small area of skin on the abdomen with local anaesthetic. A fine needle is inserted through the abdominal wall and some fluid is removed. This fluid is examined under the microscope to look for cancer cells.