Ovarian Cancer Facts

There are more than 6,820 new cases of ovarian cancer in the UK each year and most occur in women who have gone through the menopause.

Ovarian cancer is the fourth commonest cause of death from cancer amongst women in the UK and there are approximately 4,650 deaths annually from ovarian cancer.

Cancer of the ovary is more common in women who have never had children than in those who have.

The long-term use of oral contraceptives reduces the risk by three-quarters. The condition can run in families. A woman with one close relative with the disease has an increased risk of getting it.

If caught early, when the cancer is still confined to the ovaries, it can be cured with surgical treatment. However, early diagnosis is difficult because symptoms are often vague.

It is sometimes called “the silent killer” because it often develops undetected until it has grown and spread, displacing and invading the womb (uterus) and spreading widely within the pelvis and abdomen.

About two-thirds of women have cancer that has already spread beyond the pelvis at the time of diagnosis.