Is ovarian cancer possible after a hysterectomy?
Qypsykit asked...
I have been in extreme pain in the pelvic and groin area for a few weeks. I red the symptoms of ovarian cancer, which my symptoms seem to be very similar (fatigue, bloating, and abdominal pain). My question is, can you still have that type of cancer if you have had a complete hysterectomy 25 years before all of this?
Expert Answer
Andrew Putnam, M.D. is a Palliative Care physician at Smilow Cancer Center at Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale University.
A Hysterectomy means the removal of the uterus but may or may not involve removal of the ovaries. The ovaries are the source of ovarian cancer. If you had your ovaries removed 25 years ago, then it would be practically impossible to develop ovarian cancer now. If you still have your ovaries then it would be possible to develop ovarian cancer after a hysterectomy.