46-Year-Old Woman Thought Her Abnormal Stomach Pain Was IBS—Then Doctors Found Ovarian Cancer

“I must have survived for a reason and I’ve decided it’s so I could help others get through what I went through,” Barbera told HMH.

Before her diagnosis, Barbera realized something was wrong and thought, “This isn’t normal. I need to get checked out.” She called for an ambulance and was taken to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed a mass in her abdomen.

Barbera was ultimately diagnosed with 3C ovarian cancer, meaning the cancer had spread from her ovaries to outside her pelvic region, throughout her abdomen.

Understanding The Stages and Grades of Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer often begins in the fallopian tubes, where abnormal cells can migrate to the ovaries and form tumors. Dr. Beth Karlan, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet, “There are different kinds of ovarian cancer that affect women at different stages of life. The most common type of ovarian cancer, however, typically occurs around the time of the menopause.”

It’s important to note that there is no screening test for ovarian cancer, but doctors say it is important for women to be aware of symptoms which can indicate something is wrong.

The signs of ovarian cancer can include:

• Feeling bloated or full
• Pain in the pelvis or abdomen
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Changes in bowel habits

“We don’t have a good screening method, but if you have symptoms, it’s very important that you go to your physician because there might be an opportunity that we can detect it when it’s still early stage,” Dr. Jose Alejandro Rauh-Hain, a gynecologic oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet.

“It’s very important that patients are not afraid to ask questions to their physicians. Because the sooner we can diagnose the cancer, the better that prognosis.”

To combat the disease, Barbera underwent surgery and chemotherapy at Hackensack Meridian Health in 2016, an eight-month treatment plan.

Ovarian Cancer: What Are The Symptoms And Warning Signs?

Barbera, who admitted to thinking she was “going to die” when she learned the stage of her cancer, underwent surgery to remove her ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix and part of her colon—just two weeks after her diagnosis.

After surgery, she started her chemotherapy treatment, to get rid of any remaining cancer cells. She completed chemo in March 2017, and subsequently went into remission.

Barbera also underwent genetic testing that confirmed she carries a BRCA mutation. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that, when mutated and inherited, raise a person’s risk of developing several cancers, including breast and ovarian cancer.

This finding qualified her for a clinical trial evaluating a PARP inhibitor—a targeted therapy that has shown particular effectiveness against BRCA-positive cancers—aimed at preventing the cancer from returning. Participating in the trial led Barbera to take nine months off from work.

It’s worth noting why she qualifies for PARP inhibitor therapy: this class of drugs works best in patients who either carry a BRCA mutation or test positive for a related marker called homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). That said, current guidelines from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommend offering PARP inhibitors more broadly—to any woman newly diagnosed with stage III or IV ovarian cancer who has responded to chemotherapy, regardless of whether she carries a genetic mutation.

Barbera sees her doctors annually for routine checkups and now undergoes regular breast cancer screenings because her BRCA gene mutation puts her at increased risk.

Since her diagnosis, Barbera has decided to give back to the cancer community, joining two non-profit organizations called Cancer Hope Network and Imerman Angels about six years ago.

Referring to how she inspires fellow cancer warriors, she explained, “When they hear that, 10 years later, I’m still here, and I haven’t had any recurrence or anything, after everything I went through, they’re amazed. They always say, ‘Oh, I’m glad I talked to you. You just gave me so much hope.'”

You May Be Eligible for a PARP Inhibitor How to Decide?

It’s important to note that ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, like in Barbera’s case. In fact, it has been called “the sleeping lion,” Dr. Kimberly Resnick, gynecologic oncologist at MetroHealth in Cleveland, Ohio, previously told SurvivorNet. “It’s hard, because 75% of women who walk into our office with ovarian cancer, unfortunately, are going to walk in with advanced stage disease.”

RELATED: Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Can Be Hard to Spot

Unlike some other types of cancer, such as breast cancer and colon cancer, there aren’t any routine screening tests for ovarian cancer. At the present time, there are no simple and reliable methods available that can screen for ovarian cancer in women who do not have any signs or symptoms. “We don’t have an inexpensive, easily reproducible test that we can use to prevent this disease,” says Dr. Resnick.

In fact, if a woman doesn’t have any symptoms and is not at high risk for a hereditary ovarian cancer syndrome, current recommendations say that she should not get screened. This is an across the board consensus from major medical groups and public health organizations such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Cancer Society.

Screening of women who are at an average risk for the disease may do more harm than good, as it can lead to more testing or even unnecessary surgery. However, it is recommended that women who are at a high risk for ovarian cancer due to an inherited genetic syndrome consider getting screened.

There are tests that doctors use when they suspect a patient might have ovarian cancer, and for those who have a genetic predisposition to this cancer. These include the transvaginal ultrasound, which is an ultrasound of the female genital organs that is done internally, and a blood test called CA-125, which tests for a marker that is elevated in women with ovarian cancer. However, these are not true screening tests for ovarian cancer.

“These are tests we may use in a patient in whom we have a high suspicion of cancer, or in patients who have a genetic predisposition to the disease,” said Dr. Resnick. “But these are not screening tests to use in everyday women who walk into the office with abdominal cramps.”

Understanding Ovarian Cancer.

The standard of care for ovarian cancer patients is chemotherapy, which helps many patients reach remission.

WATCH: How your ovarian cancer responds to certain types of chemotherapies guides your future treatments.

With recurrence a strong possibility for this disease, especially in the later stages of ovarian cancer, certain drug treatments to deal with it are giving many women hope.

Maintenance therapy is continued treatment after the patient finishes their initial treatment. After an ovarian cancer patient completes a round of treatments — such as surgery and chemotherapy — her doctor may recommend some form of maintenance therapy to try and delay possible recurrence. Maintenance therapy can involve taking an oral pill called a PARP inhibitor every day after chemotherapy and can keep cancer in remission longer.

Genetic testing helps doctors determine the best maintenance therapy.

Genetic testing—analyzing a patient’s DNA or biopsy tissue—can reveal critical insights about cancer: how it forms, how it behaves, and how best to treat it.

“There are certain cancer-causing genes that can be passed down from generation to generation,” said Dr. Derrick Haslem, the director of medical oncology at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, in an earlier interview with SurvivorNet.

As researchers uncover more about these inherited mutations, they’re not only pinpointing who might be most at risk—they’re also refining how cancers are detected and treated.

When it comes to ovarian cancer, this information is especially vital.

WATCH: What genetic testing reveals about your cancer?

“There are a lot of mutations that put people at a higher risk for ovarian cancer,” says Dr. Haslem. That’s why your medical team asks about your family history—because genetic red flags can run in families. “If you have a family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer, that’s a really important thing to bring up with your healthcare provider.”

Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are among the most common genetic links to ovarian cancer. Another factor, homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), can occur in women with BRCA mutations and further disrupts the cells’ ability to repair their DNA.

If you do have a strong family history, your doctor may recommend testing for BRCA mutations or other inherited syndromes like Lynch syndrome, which can also increase risk for ovarian, colorectal, and breast cancers.

Sometimes, testing positive for a high-risk mutation may lead to conversations about preventive steps. “If you were tested and you had that gene, then somebody might talk to you about prophylactic surgery to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes,” says Dr. Haslem. This kind of preventive surgery can significantly reduce future cancer risk in those genetically predisposed.

Beyond risk assessment, genetic findings also guide treatment. “Certain chemotherapies and targeted therapies are much more effective in those types of cases,” Dr. Haslem adds. For example, PARP inhibitors—designed to block DNA repair in cancer cells—have shown strong results in patients with BRCA mutations and HRD.

Ultimately, genetic testing isn’t just about knowing your risk—it’s a tool that helps tailor treatment and potentially saves lives.

WATCH: Clinical trials can be life-saving.

Why Self-Advocacy in Healthcare Can Be Life-Saving

When patients actively advocate for their health, it can lead to earlier diagnoses, broader treatment options, and ultimately better outcomes—especially when initial symptoms are overlooked or dismissed.

Part of this advocacy means not settling for a single medical opinion. Persistence matters: revisiting your doctor, pushing for answers, and seeking additional perspectives from other healthcare providers can be crucial steps in the journey.

WATCH: The value of getting a second opinion

Getting another opinion may also help you avoid doctor biases. For example, some surgeons own radiation treatment centers. “So there may be a conflict of interest if you present to a surgeon who is recommending radiation because there is some ownership of that type of facility,” Dr. Jim Hu, director of robotic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical Center, tells SurvivorNet.

Other reasons to get a second opinion include:

• To see a doctor who has more experience treating your type of cancer
• You have a rare type of cancer
• There are several ways to treat your cancer
• You feel like your doctor isn’t listening to you, or isn’t giving you sound advice
• You have trouble understanding your doctor
• You don’t like the treatment your doctor is recommending, or you’re worried about its possible side effects
• Your insurance company wants you to get another medical opinion
• Your cancer isn’t improving on your current treatment

WATCH: The Importance Of Getting A Second Opinion: Tara Lessard Shares Her Cancer Story.

Questions for Your Doctor

If you’ve been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and are looking for ways to better understand your disease and treatment options, here are some key questions to bring to your doctor.

You can also turn to SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI tool, “My Health Questions,” which helps patients and caregivers navigate a new diagnosis and prepare thoughtful, personalized questions for their care team.

• What type of ovarian cancer do I have?
• What stage is my cancer in?
• Do you recommend I get genetic testing for any gene mutations, such as the BRCA gene mutation?
• What initial treatment options do you recommend?
• What are the possible side effects of the recommended treatment, and how can they be coped with?
• Will insurance help cover my recommended treatment?

WATCH: A New Wave of Cancer Patients Using SurvivorNet’s My Health AI Tools For Support

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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