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 stomach (abdomen).
How common is ovarian cancer?
Cancer of the ovary affects approximately 5,500 women in England every 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 are over the age of 65, although it can affect women of any age.
As the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be difficult to recognise and similar to those of other conditions, it is sometimes called "the silent killer". However, doctors are now far more aware of the early symptoms of ovarian cancer, such as bloating, pain in the pelvis and lower stomach, and difficulty eating.
Being aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer is important because if it's caught in the early "stage one" phase up to 95% of women will live for more than five years.
Types of ovarian cancer
There are several types of ovarian cancer. They include:
- epithelial ovarian cancer, which affects the surface layers of the ovary,
- germ cell ovarian cancer, which originates in the cells that make the eggs, and
- stromal ovarian cancer, which develops within the cells that hold the ovaries together.
Epithelial ovarian cancer is by far the most common type of 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 20 cases of ovarian cancer has a genetic link.
Treatment for ovarian cancer usually involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There are methods of screening for ovarian cancer but, at the moment, they are not yet fully tested, and are only available for those who have relatives with the condition.
