[Potentials of self-examination in detecting ovarian tumors]

The clinical picture and primary diagnosis of 739 benign, 114 border-case and 115 early-stage malignant ovarian tumors are discussed. It was established that 8.4-11% of patients had detected tumors themselves by palpation. The detection of tumors by a considerable number of patients provided a basis for developing practical recommendations on self-examination procedures, which include inspection of the abdomen, surface and deep palpation. Application of these procedures will contribute to better diagnosis of ovarian cancer.