Is it possible to have ovarian cancer without having ovaries?

I thought this was the silliest question ever, until last week. I had a hysterectomy in 2001, followed by 2 separate surgeries to remove my ovaries and tubes. I had a sonogram following some pelvic pain and it was found that I had a large cyst and 2 masses, about the size of "small lemons". I am having surgery next week, via a gynecology oncologist, to remove what they are describing as "very likely ovarian cancer". The only explanation I am getting for the absence of ovaries is that when I had the hyst and removal of my ovaries, there may have
been some ovarian tissue left. Just curious to see if anyone else has ever heard of this. I have had 3 docs tell me the same thing (those were my 2nd and 3rd opinions). Only serious follow-up please??!??

I will tell you that I had a CT scan done almost a year to the day before my ER visit in which the sono was done and determined that the masses were there. The previous CT showed nothing. The day the sono was done, I had another CT done, as well as an MRI, that confirmed the findings of the sono. There is a cyst and 2 masses that a year ago were not there and now they are. Thought I would add that info. Thanks for your well wishes!

I am not a Doctor but I am a nurse, the only reason I answer this because I am not expert is because I only happened to be discussing this very thing with an OB/GYN at work a few weeks ago. The Doctor posting above me mentioned you might have had cancerous ovaries before they were removed, however its pretty standard practise for all removed organs to be sent off for pathology, when I had my TAH and BSO, they went off to pathology, so you would expect it to have been picked up, although anything is possible, and of course it is also plausible that trace ovarian tissue or cells were left behind or the pathology was not comprehensive enough to pick up early stage cancer cells.

There is however, a cancer that is like a mimic of ovarian cancer, which looks and behaves exactly the same way even after the ovaries are removed and whilst it not exactly ovarian cancer it might as well be. Its rare but possible. When I looked it up, I found its called primary peritoneal cancer, its an exact mimic. The same thing can happen with cervical cancer after total hysterectomy, there is a cancer that mimics that as well.

This is not common but oophrectomy whilst drastically reducing the chances of cancer surprisingly does not eradicate the risk.

One thing is for sure though, until they get inside, remove those tumours and start looking at them under a microscope , they can really only be taking a guess that its ovarian cancer or similar. It might be an accurate guess and indeed a well informed guess but its not a done deal until they can lay eyes and hands on those tumours.

On a personal level, you have my heartfelt sympathy, a really bad stroke of luck. I wish you the very best outcome and a full recovery.

I got your message and tried to reply but it was returned. Didn't want you to think I had ignored you!

This doesn鈥檛 happen very often, but it does happen. The only other logical explanation is if you had ovarian cancer at the time your ovaries were removed and some of the cells had already broken off, but there was no way to know at the time.