Our "pros" address issues that you might have or find the right specialist who can! Please note that "the pros" cannot give personal replies or medical advice--you should check with your regular health care provider for direction about your case. Please read our disclaimer.
It may not seem logical that ovarian cancer can develop in a woman who has had her ovaries removed, but it is a small risk. Pathologists who look at these specimens under the microscope cannot make any distinction between these cancers and the typical ovarian cancers that arise in women who still have their ovaries.
How can this be? The answer lies in the common embryonic origin of the surface covering of the ovary and the shiny lining of the abdominal cavity called the peritoneum. Both give rise to "serous" carcinomas, which are indistinguishable. Serous carcinoma is the most common cancer of the ovary and is the tumor most often associated with elevations of the tumor marker CA-125. The only way to tell the difference between serous carcinoma of the ovary and serous carcinoma of the peritoneum is that one tumor involves the ovaries and the other does not. In every other way, they are identical. This explains how a woman without ovaries can have "ovarian" cancer.
One early study of this phenomenon was done in women from cancer-prone families. Of 28 women who had their ovaries removed as a precaution, four of them developed cancer later in their lives. These women had what is called "primary peritoneal cancer," arising from the lining of the abdomen. There was no difference between these cancers microscopically and the most common type of ovarian cancer.
This research has supported the argument that cancer risk is associated with the gene present in all cells, not just those in the actual ovary. This is an argument against "prophylactic" or precautionary surgery (the removal of normal organs considered "at risk"). Still, there is probably a great deal of protective effect from removing the ovaries in a woman at high risk for ovarian cancer. The risk history should be carefully evaluated to determine whether a particular patient's relatives have had peritoneal or ovarian cancers.
At this point, there is no known way to prevent peritoneal cancer with surgery.
The
"Answers from the Pros" are given in general terms, and are not intended
to address individual medical needs. "Answers from the Pros" does not
give medical advice, but answers medical questions that always should
be verified with your doctor and care team. Do not rely solely on the
answers you receive from the "Answers from the Pros" section. Do not make any changes
in your treatment or medications, without consulting your doctor. If you
have an emergency, call 911 or your physician.
Is is possible to get ovarian cancer even if your ovaries have been removed?