Ovarian cancer: a case study

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies in the United States, accounting for approximately 15,000 deaths each year. Patients commonly present to their primary care providers with vague abdominal symptoms. Health care providers need to become more aware of the importance of pursuing seemingly vague symptoms. A discerning knowledge of the risk factors and symptoms of this disease enables the clinician to institute appropriate assessment strategies, intervention, and referral, resulting in reduced mortality rates. This case report of a white woman aged in her 60s diagnosed with ovarian cancer stresses the need for early screening and detection, disease education, and prompt referral and management to displace the fear associated with the diagnosis and improve survival.