Definition
The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system. They produce a woman’s eggs and female hormones. Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond.
Cancer of the ovary is not common, but it causes more deaths than other female reproductive cancers. The sooner ovarian cancer is found and treated, the better your chance for recovery. But ovarian cancer is hard to detect early.
A little less than 1% of Black women may get ovarian cancer in their lifetime. They have some of the lowest rates of ovarian cancer, compared to other racial/ethnic groups.
Per 100,000 people, here’s a breakdown of how many U.S. women may have ovarian cancer each year, according to studies:
- Non-Hispanic white: 12
- Hispanic: 10.6
- Non-Hispanic Black: 9.4
- Asian/Pacific Islander: 9.2
Black women, who do develop ovarian cancer, tend to live cancer-free for less time than women of other races.
Overall, your chances of living years past your diagnosis are closely tied to the kind of cancer you have and how far it’s spread.
According to data recent data, the 5-year survival rates for ovarian cancer in Black women are:
- Localized (only in your ovaries), 86%
- Regional (spread to nearby organs), 58%
- Distant (spread to other areas of your body), 21%
Symptoms
Women with ovarian cancer often have no symptoms or just mild symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage, which makes it hard to treat. Symptoms may include:
- A heavy feeling in the pelvis
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- Bleeding from the vagina
- Weight gain or loss
- Abnormal periods
- Unexplained back pain that gets worse
- Gas, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite
If you have unusual vaginal bleeding, see a doctor right away. You should also see a doctor if you have any of the other signs for two weeks or longer and they are not normal for you. They may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know is to see a doctor.
By paying attention to your body, you will be able to know what is normal for you.
Causes
It’s not clear what causes ovarian cancer, however, doctors have identified things that can increase the risk of the disease.
Doctors know that ovarian cancer begins when cells in or near the ovaries develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell’s DNA contains the instructions that tell the cell what to do. The changes tell the cells to grow and multiply quickly, creating a mass (tumor) of cancer cells. The cancer cells continue living when healthy cells die. They can invade nearby tissues and break off from an initial tumor to spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.
According to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, ovarian cancer accounts for 2.5 percent of cancers in women. Ovarian cancer is also the 11th most common cancer among women and the deadliest of gynecologic cancers. Currently, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women and Black women have higher mortality rates than white women.
Types of Ovarian Cancer
The type of cell where the cancer begins determines the type of ovarian cancer you have and helps your doctor determine which treatments are best for you. Ovarian cancer types include:
- Epithelial ovarian cancer. This type is the most common. It includes several subtypes, including serous carcinoma and mucinous carcinoma.
- Stromal tumors. These rare tumors are usually diagnosed at an earlier stage than other ovarian cancers.
- Germ cell tumors. These rare ovarian cancers tend to occur at a younger age.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ovarian cancer, doctors will do one or more tests. They include a physical exam, a pelvic exam, lab tests, an ultrasound, or a biopsy.
Treatment
Treatment of ovarian cancer usually involves a combination of surgery and, although there are other chemotherapy treatments that may be used in certain situations.
Risk Factors
Factors that can increase your risk of ovarian cancer include:
- Older age. The risk of ovarian cancer increases as you age. It’s most often diagnosed in older adults.
- Inherited gene changes. A small percentage of ovarian cancers are caused by genes changes you inherit from your parents. The genes that increase the risk of ovarian cancer include BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes also increase the risk of breast cancer.
Several other gene changes are known to increase the risk of ovarian cancer, including gene changes associated with Lynch syndrome and the genes BRIP1, RAD51C and RAD51D. - Family history of ovarian cancer. If you have blood relatives who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may have an increased risk of the disease.
- Being overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of ovarian cancer.
- Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy. Taking hormone replacement therapy to control menopause signs and symptoms may increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
- Endometriosis. Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that lines the inside of your uterus grows outside your uterus.
- Age when menstruation started and ended. Beginning menstruation at an early age or starting menopause at a later age, or both, may increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
- Never having been pregnant. If you’ve never been pregnant, you may have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Prevention
Although there is no way to prevent ovarian cancer, there are ways to reduce your risk:
- Birth control pills. Ask your doctor whether birth control pills (oral contraceptives) may be right for you. Taking birth control pills reduces the risk of ovarian cancer. But these medications do have risks, so discuss whether the benefits outweigh those risks based on your situation.
- Discuss your risk factors with your doctor. If you have a family history of breast and ovarian cancers, bring this up with your doctor. Your doctor can determine what this may mean for your own risk of cancer. He or she may refer you to a genetic counselor who can help you decide whether genetic testing may be right for you. If you’re found to have a gene change that increases your risk of ovarian cancer, you may consider surgery to remove your ovaries to prevent cancer.