Cancer of the ovary - Introduction

The ovaries are a pair of small organs in the female reproductive system that contain and release an egg once a month. This is known as ovulation. Cancer of the ovary can spread to other parts of the reproductive system and the surrounding areas, including the womb (uterus), vagina and abdomen.

How common is ovarian cancer?

Cancer of the ovary affects over 6,500 women in the UK each year. It is the fifth most common cancer among women after breast cancer, bowel cancer, lung cancer and cancer of the uterus (womb). Ovarian cancer is most common in women who have had the menopause (usually over the age of 45), but it can affect women of any age.

As the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be similar to those of other conditions, it can be difficult to recognise. However, there are early symptoms to look out for, such as pain in the pelvis and lower stomach, persistent bloating and difficulty eating.

Types of ovarian cancer

There are several types of ovarian cancer. They include:

• epithelial ovarian cancer, which affects the surface layers of the ovary; it is by far the most common type
• germ cell tumours, which originate in the cells that make the eggs
• stromal tumours, which develops within the cells that hold the ovaries together

Epithelial ovarian cancer is by far the most common type of ovarian cancer. This information concentrates on epithelial ovarian cancer.

The exact cause of ovarian cancer is unknown, although a number of possible factors are thought to be involved, such as the number of eggs the ovaries release, and whether someone in your family has had ovarian cancer in the past. However, only one in 10 cases of ovarian cancer has a genetic link.

Outlook

Treatment for ovarian cancer usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

There are methods of screening for ovarian cancer but, at the moment, they are not yet fully tested. They are only available for women who are at high risk of developing the disease due to a strong family history or inheritance of a particular faulty gene. Clinical trials in the UK are currently assessing the effectiveness of screening in high-risk women and in the general population.

A cervical screening test (which used to be called a smear test) cannot detect ovarian cancer.

As with most types of cancer, the outlook depends largely on how far the cancer has advanced by the time it is diagnosed and your age at diagnosis. Ninety per cent of women diagnosed with early stage one ovarian cancer will be alive in five years time (the five-year survival rate).