Ovarian cancer occurs when cells in the ovaries, the female reproductive glands, become abnormal and grow out of control.
There are four stages of ovarian cancer, and each is divided into sub-stages. The stage of a cancer is based on how big a tumor is and whether it has spread.
- Stage 1: Considered early-stage, the cancer is confined to the ovaries and hasn’t spread
- Stage 1A: cancer is in one ovary
- Stage 1B: cancer is in both ovaries
- Stage 1C1: tissue surrounding the tumor breaks during surgery and cancer may spread to the abdomen and pelvis (surgical spill)
- Stage 1C2: cancer is on the surface of one or both ovaries
- Stage 1C2: tissue surrounding the tumor has ruptured before surgery
- Stage 1C3: cancer cells are in the fluid of the abdomen and pelvis
- Stage 2: Cancer has spread from one or both ovaries to other areas of the pelvis, but not to nearby lymph nodes or distant sites
- Stage 2A: cancer has spread to the uterus or fallopian tubes
- Stage 2B: cancer has spread to other nearby pelvic organs
- Stage 3: Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and/or other parts of the abdomen, but not to distant sites
- Stage 3A: cancer has spread to lymph nodes in areas outside or behind the peritoneum, or cancer cells have spread outside of the pelvis
- Stage 3B: cancer has spread to the peritoneum, is 2 cm or smaller, and may have spread to the lymph nodes behind the peritoneum
- Stage 3C: cancer has spread to the peritoneum, is larger than 2 cm, and may have spread to lymph nodes in the abdomen, as well as to the surface of the liver or spleen
- Stage 4: Cancer has spread beyond the abdomen, considered metastatic cancer
- Stage 4A: cancer cells are found in fluid around the lungs
- Stage 4B: cancer has spread outside the abdomen and may be in the lymph nodes in the groin
What Are Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer may not cause any symptoms in the earlier stages. When symptoms do occur, they may include:
- Bloating/abdominal distension
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Feeling full quickly or after small amounts of food
- Urinary urgency or frequency
- Upset stomach
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Pain during intercourse
- Mass felt in the abdomen
- Back pain
- Constipation
- Menstrual changes, including heavier bleeding or irregular bleeding
What Causes Ovarian Cancer?
The cause of most types of ovarian cancers is not known, though new research has found that the cancer starts in cells at the tail ends of the fallopian tubes and not necessarily in the ovary itself.
Known risk factors for developing ovarian cancer include:
- Genetics
- Inherited genetic mutations
- Personal history of breast, colorectal, or endometrial cancer
- Family history of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, or colorectal cancer
- Mother, sister, grandmother or aunt who had ovarian cancer
- Family cancer syndrome
- Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC): mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
- Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC)
- Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
- MUTYH-associated polyposis
- Lynch syndrome
- Older age; most cases develop after menopause after age 55
- Hormone therapy taken after menopause
- Overweight/obesity
- Having children later or never carrying a pregnancy to term
- Fertility treatments
- Smoking
How Is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed?
Ovarian cancer is diagnosed with a medical history, pelvic examination, and tests such as:
- Imaging tests
- Ultrasound
- Computed tomography (CT) scans
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
- Colonoscopy
- Chest X-ray to determine if the cancer has spread (metastasized) to the lungs
- Laparoscopy of the pelvis or abdomen
- Biopsy
- Blood tests
- Estrogen and testosterone
- CA-125 test
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)
- Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)
- Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
- Inhibin
Genetic counseling and genetic testing for some inherited gene changes may be recommended for epithelial ovarian cancers.
What Is the Treatment for Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer treatment may include one or more of the following:
- Surgery to remove the cancer (the most common method of both diagnosis and therapy)
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Complementary therapies to treat symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and nausea
- Clinical trials
From 
Cancer Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/about.html
https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/ovarian-cancer/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26244529/