Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the ovaries. The female reproductive system contains two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries, each about the size of an almond produce eggs (ova) as well as the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At this late stage, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat. Early-stage ovarian cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to be treated successfully.
Surgery and chemotherapy are generally used to treat ovarian cancer.
Early-stage ovarian cancer rarely causes any symptoms. Advanced-stage ovarian cancer may cause few and nonspecific symptoms that are often mistaken for more common benign conditions.
Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms that worry you.
If you have a family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer, talk to your doctor about your risk of ovarian cancer. Your doctor may refer you to a genetic counselor to discuss testing for certain gene mutations that increase your risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Factors that can increase your risk of ovarian cancer include:
Other gene mutations, including those associated with Lynch syndrome, are known to increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
Two ways to screen for ovarian cancer in its early stages are ultrasound of the ovaries and measurement of levels of a protein called CA-125 in the blood. Neither of these methods has been shown to save lives when used to test women of average risk. Therefore, screening is currently recommended only for women at higher risk.
Imaging tests like CT, MRI, or ultrasound can reveal an ovarian mass, but only a sampling of the tissue (biopsy) can determine whether the mass is cancerous. A biopsy is analyzed in a laboratory to determine whether or not an ovarian mass is due to cancer.
Staging of ovarian cancer refers to the extent to which it has spread to other organs or tissues. This is typically evaluated during surgery. Stages of ovarian cancer are as follows:
Stage I: The cancer is limited to the ovaries
Stage II: The cancer has spread to the uterus or other pelvic organs
Stage III: The cancer has spread to lymph nodes or lining tissues of the abdomen
Stage IV: The cancer has spread to distant sites, like the liver or lungs
There are different kinds of ovarian cancer, depending on the type of cell within the ovary that gave rise to the cancer. The large majority of ovarian cancers are epithelial cancers, or carcinomas. These cancers begin in the cells that line the surface of the ovary. Sometimes, tumors of these cells are not clearly cancerous but still display some suspicious features. These are called tumors of low malignant potential (LMP) and are less dangerous than other kinds of ovarian cancer.