Ovarian Cancer

In general, tumors can be cancerous (malignantA tumor that has invaded neighboring tissue.) or non-cancerous (benignA growth that does not leave its site of origin or invade surrounding tissue. Benign growths can get large and are capable of causing illness or even death, depending on the location of the growth. Technically, benign growths are not cancer.). Ovarian cancer refers to malignant tumors originating in the ovaries, which can spread (metastasizeThe movement of a cancer to a location outside its site of origin. The distant growths are termed metastases.) to other places in the body. There are 3 main types of ovarian tumors. 1.

EpithelialA type of tissue (epithelium) that covers our exposed surfaces, such as skin. Also lines our hollow or tube-like organs/tissues such as the digestive tract. Since these tissues are often exposed to environmental insults such as chemicals and solar radiation and are often divide rapidly to replace lost cells, many cancers arise in epithelial tissues. tumors: These tumors are the most common type of ovarian tumors. These tumors originate from cells that make up the outer surface (epithelium) of the ovaries.

Germ cell tumors: These tumors originate from cells that produce eggs.

Stromal tumors: These tumors originate from cells in the ovarian stroma. Stromal cells connect the parts of the ovary together and secrete female hormones.

Ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of death in women. Approximately 50% of women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are above the age of 62. White women are more likely to get ovarian cancer than African-American women. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2023, in the U.S., there will be approximately 19,710 new cases of ovarian cancer and approximately 13,270 women will die from ovarian cancer.2

Please visit the following sections to learn more about ovarian cancer:

  • 1. Kaku T1, Ogawa S, Kawano Y, Ohishi Y, Kobayashi H, Hirakawa T, Nakano H. Histological classification of ovarian cancer. Med Electron Microsc. 2003 Mar;36(1):9-17. [PUBMED]
  • 2. American Cancer Society.Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. Atlanta: American Cancer Society. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/2023-cancer-facts-figures.html
  • 3. Karlsen MA, Sandhu N, Høgdall C, Christensen IJ, Nedergaard L, Lundvall L, Engelholm SA, Pedersen AT, Hartwell D, Lydolph M, Laursen IA, Høgdall EV. Evaluation of HE4, CA125, risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA) and risk of malignancy index (RMI) as diagnostic tools of epithelial ovarian cancer in patients with a pelvic mass. Gynecol Oncol. 2012 Jul 24. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 22835718. [PUBMED]
  • 4. Uterus. National Cancer Institute. [http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=46645]
  • 5. "Fallopian Tube Cancer". National Cancer Institute. [http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=755773]
  • 6. Cervix. National Cancer Institute. [http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=46133]
  • 7. Myometrium. National Cancer Institute. [http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=46280]
  • 8. Endometrium. National Cancer Institute. [http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=46108]
  • 9. Uterus and Nearby Organs. Wikimedia. National Cancer Institute. [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Uterus_and_nearby_organs.jpg]
  • 10.a. b. c. d. e. f. Ovarian Cancer Overview 2014. American Cancer Society. [http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003070-pdf.pdf]
  • 11.a. b. Reid, B., Permuth, J., & Sellers, T. (2017). Epidemiology of ovarian cancer: a review. Cancer Biology & Medicine, 14(1), 9–32. http://doi.org/10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2016.0084 (Original work published February 2017) [PUBMED]
  • 12. Pavelka, J C, Li A J & Karlan B Y. "Hereditary Ovarian Cancer: Accessing Risk and Prevention Strategies." Obstretics and Gynecology Clnics of North America (2007): 34(4) 651-655. PMID: 18061862 [PUBMED]
  • 13.a. b. c. d. e. Chobanian, N & Dietrich C S. "Ovarian Cancer." Surgical Clinics of North America (2008): 88(2) 285-299. [PUBMED]
  • 14.a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Vo, Christine & Carney, Michael E. "Ovarian Cancer Hormonal and Environmental Risk Effect." Obstetrics and Gynecology Clnics of North America (2007): 34(4) 687-700 [PUBMED]
  • 15.a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. Mironov S., Akin O., Pandit-Taskar N., Hann L E. "Ovarian Cancer." Radilogics Clinics of North America (2007): 45(1) 149-166. PMID: 17157627 [PUBMED]
  • 16.a. b. Andersen, R M et al."Combining a Symtoms Index with CA 125 to Improve Detention of Ovarian Cancer." Cancer (2008): v.113 (3) 1-6.
  • 17. Prat, J., & Oncology, F. (2015). FIGO’s staging classification for cancer of the ovary, fallopian tube, and peritoneum: abridged republication. Journal of Gynecologic Oncology, 26(2), 87–9. http://doi.org/10.3802/jgo.2015.26.2.87 (Original work published April 2015) [PUBMED]
  • 18. Marshall M, Solomon S. "Abstract Hereditary breast-ovarian cancer: clinical findings and medical management." Plast Surg Nurs. 2007 Jul-Sep;27(3):124-7. Review. [PUBMED]
  • 19. Bolton KL, Chenevix-Trench G, Goh C, Sadetzki S, Ramus SJ, Karlan BY, Lambrechts D, Despierre E, Barrowdale D, McGuffog L, Healey S, Easton DF, Sinilnikova O, Benítez J, García MJ, Neuhausen S, Gail MH, Hartge P, Peock S, Frost D, Evans DG, Eeles R, Godwin AK, Daly MB, Kwong A, Ma ES, Lázaro C, Blanco I, Montagna M, D'Andrea E, Nicoletto MO, Johnatty SE, Kjaer SK, Jensen A, Hogdall E, Goode EL, Fridley BL, Loud JT, Greene MH, Mai PL, Chetrit A, Lubin F, Hirsh-Yechezkel G, Glendon G, Andrulis IL, Toland AE, Senter L, Gore ME, Gourley C, Michie CO, Song H, Tyrer J, Whittemore AS, McGuire V, Sieh W, Kristoffersson U, Olsson H, Borg Å, Levine DA, Steele L, Beattie MS, Chan S, Nussbaum RL, Moysich KB, Gross J, Cass I, Walsh C, Li AJ, Leuchter R, Gordon O, Garcia-Closas M, Gayther SA, Chanock SJ, Antoniou AC, Pharoah PD; EMBRACE; kConFab Investigators; Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network. Association between BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and survival in women with invasive epithelial ovarian ca [PUBMED]
  • 20. Petrucelli N, Daly MB, Feldman GL. BRCA1 and BRCA2 Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer. In: Pagon RA, Adam MP, Bird TD, Dolan CR, Fong CT, Stephens K, editors. SourceGeneReviews [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2013. 1998 Sep 04 [updated 2013 Sep 26]. [PUBMED]
  • 21. Mackay J, Taylor A. "Moving genetics into clinical cancer care: examples from BRCA gene testing and telemedicine." Breast. 2006 Dec;15 Suppl 2:S65-70. [PUBMED]
  • 22. Wei W, Mok SC, Oliva E, Kim SH, Mohapatra G, Birrer MJ. FGF18 as a prognostic and therapeutic biomarker in ovarian cancer. J Clin Invest. 2013 Oct 1;123(10):4435-48. doi: 10.1172/JCI70625. Epub 2013 Sep 9. [PUBMED]
  • 23. Simmons AR, Baggerly K, Bast RC Jr. The emerging role of HE4 in the evaluation of epithelial ovarian and endometrial carcinomas. Oncology (Williston Park). 2013 Jun;27(6):548-56. [PUBMED]
  • 24. Van Gorp T, Cadron I, Despierre E, Daemen A, Leunen K, Amant F, Timmerman D, De Moor B, Vergote I. HE4 and CA125 as a diagnostic test in ovarian cancer: prospective validation of the Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm. Br J Cancer. 2011 Mar 1;104(5):863-70. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6606092. Epub 2011 Feb 8. [PUBMED]
  • 25. How Kit A, Nielsen HM, Tost J. DNA methylation based biomarkers: practical considerations and applications. Biochimie. 2012 Nov;94(11):2314-37. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2012.07.014. Epub 2012 Jul 27. [PUBMED]
  • 26. Gloss BS, Samimi G. Epigenetic biomarkers in epithelial ovarian cancer. Cancer Lett. 2014 Jan 28;342(2):257-63. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2011.12.036. Epub 2012 Jan 12. [PUBMED]
  • 27. Chandra, A., Pius, C., Nabeel, M., Nair, M., Vishwanatha, J., Ahmad, S., & Basha, R. (2019). Ovarian cancer: Current status and strategies for improving therapeutic outcomes. Cancer Medicine, 8(16), 7018–7031. http://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.2560 (Original work published November 2019) [PUBMED]
  • 28. Treatment of invasive epithelial ovarian cancers, by stage. American Cancer Society. [http://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovariancancer/detailedguide/ovarian-cancer-treating-by-stage]