Fluid build-up

Sometimes ovarian cancer can cause fluid to build up in different parts of the body.

Learn more about:

• Ascites
• Pleural effusion

Ascites

This is when fluid collects in the abdomen. It causes swelling and pressure, which can be uncomfortable and make you feel breathless.

If you have ascites, your doctor may inject a local anaesthetic into the abdomen and then insert a needle to take a sample of the fluid. This is called a paracentesis or ascitic tap. The fluid sample is sent to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope for cancer cells.

Sometimes, to make you feel more comfortable, the doctor will remove all the remaining fluid from your abdomen. It will take a few hours for the fluid to drain into a drainage bag and then the tube will be removed from your abdomen.

Pleural effusion

If the cancer has spread to the lungs, fluid builds up in the area between the lung and the chest wall (pleural space). It can cause pain and breathlessness. The fluid can be drained using a procedure called a thoracentesis or pleural tap. Your doctor will inject a local anaesthetic into the chest area, and then insert a needle into the pleural space to drain the fluid.

→ READ MORE: Managing lymphoedema

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