A biopsy is not usually conducted when ovarian cancer is suspected. Instead, a staging laparotomy is often performed. During a laparotomy, tissue and fluid are removed from the pelvis and abdomen.
Although most women have a laparotomy for diagnosis, some women have a different procedure known as laparoscopy. The provider inserts a thin, lighted tube, called a laparoscope, through a small incision in the abdomen. Laparoscopy can be used to remove a small, benign cyst or an early ovarian cancer. It may also be used to determine whether cancer has spread.
The tissue removed is then examined by a pathologist using a microscope to look for cancer cells in the tissue or fluid. If ovarian cancer cells are found, the pathologist describes the grade of the cells. Grades 1, 2, and 3 describe how abnormal the cancer cells look. Higher grade cancer cells are more aggressive and more likely to spread.