Q about Ovarian Cancer ...

Thank you for this site, and for reading my concern ...

I am 39 years old, generally healthy woman. I have 1 child who is 9 years old.
On Oct. 1st  I underwent a colposcopy for low-grade SIL because I have HPV, and the biopsy came back low-grade, so basically at this time, doc will just 'wait and watch' and I will go back in 6 months for another pap test.

This being said, my concern is: ever since I had the colpo, I have been noticing aching on my right side, it is the hip bone that hurts when I get up after sitting down a long period of time , like even after driving some place and getting out of the car, this sharp pain hits my hip, then it goes away eventually.

The ache seems to be radiating sometimes in the lower abdomen area, but it s not terribly painful, just dull aching, comes and goes.

I have been so scared in my mind, thinking that maybe I have a problem in my ovary ... I cannot pinpoint for sure and say 'yes the aching is from the ovary' - that is difficult to tell. Could it perhaps be just a pulled muscle, or arthritis in my hip that is radiating towards the lower abdomen (my mom has RA) ... but why would it start right after the colpo was done?  when the doc did the procedure , I felt the right side ache a little ...  but didnt make a big deal of it ...

I never have unusual bleedings between periods, ever, and my cycle is still pretty much regular, menstruation lasting from 3-5 days. I feel no pain when I touch the area on my lower right side. I dont see why I should go back to the doc again, bc I was just there a couple weeks ago for this colpo!

Can anyone give me tips?  I would  appreciate any input that you can give .

Is ovarian cancer usually involving both ovaries?  or pretty much like it would be for breasts (one or the other)?

I have never had health problems with anything in my life so far, except for the HPV.
I have no history of breast or ovarian cancer.

Thank you so much .. waiting for a reply ..

[hopeshell]

Hi,  It is scary when you have symptom and don't know what is wrong.  Since you are having pain and with your history, I think you should get into your gyn and ask for a transvaginal ultrasound.  This is an easy test that can determine if you have a mass on your ovaries.  Be sure to include all your symptoms, as he may decide to do a pelvic CT to rule out other areas too.  Ovarian cancer can be on one or both ovaries.  If you have a mass on an ovary that is complex (both solid and cystic parts), and is over 5cm then surgery is warranted to remove the mass.  And, if that were the case, you need gynecologic oncologist consult before your surgery.  The only way to conclusively dx an ovarian cancer mass versus other benign tumors is surgery.  However, in more advanced stages of ovarian cancer doctors can often tell the patient they believe it to be cancer because of enlarged nodes and masses in other areas.  The first step for you right now is to see your doctor and get a scan to rule out any problem.

Your HPV concern is related to cervical cancer and cerivcal cancer can spread to the ovaries and other areas in the pelvis.  In that case, it would not be considered ovarian cancer but cervical cancer that spread.  Either way, cervical or ovarian, if you need surgery you need to see a gynecologic oncologist because they have the most experience with these issues.   There are so many things that cause pelvic pain but the odds are with you that it isn't ovarian cancer.  Ovarian cysts that aren't malignant cause that same type of pain and are quite common.  It is very important to get symptoms checked out right away if they don't resolve in a few days.  Catching any cancer in its early stages is the goal!  Best of luck to you!

Shelly