I’d like to upend the ovarian cancer narrative! My only symptoms were intermittent pinching discomfort, reminiscent of ovulation pains, but at various random parts of my abdomen. As I retired gynecologist, 74 years old, I speculated that I might have bleeding from my fallopian tubes from endometrial (uterine lining) cancer, or perhaps primary peritoneal cancer (similar to ovarian cancer but without a detectable primary tumor.) I asked my PCP for a CA-125 and a pelvic ultrasound. He also ordered a CT (CAT scan). The CA-125 was over 300. The CT was unremarkable (no concerning findings). The ultrasound showed only that the endometrium was thickened, a possible sign of endometrial cancer. As it turned out, I had a pre-cancer of the endometrium, and an unrelated stage 3a “ovarian” cancer. It took 7 weeks for the pathologists to find the primary in the left fallopian tube. It was microscopic. There were microscopic metastases on the surface of the ovary and elsewhere throughout the abdomen. And this is my point: we now know that ovarian cancer begins in the fallopian tube. Learn from me. I am negative for known BRCA mutations. I had no conventional symptoms of ovarian cancer. I made a diagnostic leap based on unconventional symptoms. My doctor took me seriously. Yet I was stage 3, and now, 6 months after the end of chemo, I have a recurrence. It still is not visible on ultrasound. So my first message is, don’t blame yourself. Don’t blame your doctor. Blame the cancer! My second message is that prevention is better than detection. If you don’t have ovarian cancer yet and are finished with childbearing, have your fallopian tubes removed. You can keep your ovaries if they are healthy. Removal of the tubes does not affect your hormones in any way, and you will not feel different. Just be sure you don’t want any more babies. The ones you already have (if any) will thank you!