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General Information About Ovarian Cancer
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Ovarian cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells
form in the tissues of the ovaries.
The ovaries are a pair
of organs in the female reproductive
system. They are located in the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus (the hollow, pear-shaped
organ where a fetus grows). Each
ovary is about the size and shape of an almond. The ovaries produce eggs and
female hormones (chemicals that
control the way certain cells or
organs function).
In the United States, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women.
Ovarian cancer is also the leading cause of death from cancer of the female reproductive system. From 1987 through 2002 the number of ovarian cancer cases went down slightly and the number of deaths from ovarian cancer remained about the same.
Current screening
tests have not been proven to decrease the death rate.
Age and a family history of ovarian cancer can affect the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease
is called a risk factor. Risk factors for ovarian cancer include the
following:
Certain factors may decrease a woman's risk of developing ovarian cancer. Women who have taken oral contraceptives ("the pill"), given birth,
breast-fed, or had a tubal ligation or hysterectomy have a lower
than average risk of developing ovarian cancer. Prophylactic oophorectomy (removal of healthy ovaries) decreases ovarian cancer risk in women who have an altered gene related to breast cancer.
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