Ovarian cancer occurs when cells in one or both ovaries grow abnormally and become cancerous tumours.

This cancer can be hard to diagnose as symptoms are often dismissed or attributed to other issues.

Ovarian cancer can be one of three types: ¹

• Epithelial– Most ovarian cancers arise from the surface epithelium of the ovary
• Germ cell – These tumours occur in egg producing cells of the ovary
• Stromal tumour – These develop in the oestrogen and progesterone producing tissue that holds the ovary together

In some cases ovarian cancer is due to mutations in the genes BRCA 1 (Breast Cancer 1) and BRCA 2 (Breast Cancer 2). Mutations in these genes are also involved in the increased risk of breast cancer.⁶ 

Approximately 15% of ovarian cancers can be explained by these gene mutations. ⁶

Ovarian cancer is typically staged using the FIGO (International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics) system.⁹  There are four stages of ovarian cancer ranging from Stage I to Stage IV, which gives an indication of how little (Stage I) to how much (Stage IV) the cancer has progressed. ⁸