Ovarian Cancer

Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer

www.cdc.gov/cancer/knowledge 1-800-CDC-INFO

There are five main types of cancer that affect a woman’s reproductive 

organs: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar. As a group, they 

are referred to as gynecologic (GY-neh-kuh-LAH-jik) cancer. (A sixth 

type of gynecologic cancer is the very rare fallopian tube cancer.) 

This fact sheet about ovarian cancer is part of the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Inside Knowledge: Get the Facts About 

Gynecologic Cancer campaign. The campaign helps women get the 

facts about gynecologic cancer, providing important “inside knowledge” 

about their bodies and health.

What is ovarian cancer?

Cancer is a disease in which cells 

in the body grow out of control. 

Cancer is always named for the part 

of the body where it starts, even if it 

spreads to other body parts later. 

When cancer starts in the ovaries, 

it is called ovarian cancer. Women 

have two ovaries that are located in 

the pelvis, one on each side of the 

uterus. The ovaries make female 

hormones and produce eggs.

When ovarian cancer is found in its 

early stages, treatment is most effective. 

Vagina

Fallopian Tubes

Ovaries

Uterus

Cervix

Vulva

What raises a woman’s 

chance of getting 

ovarian cancer?

There is no way to know for sure if 

you will get ovarian cancer. Most 

women get it without being at high 

risk. However, the following factors 

may increase a woman’s risk for 

ovarian cancer:

• Being middle-aged or older.

• Having close family members 

(such as your mother, sister, aunt, 

or grandmother) on either your 

mother’s or your father’s side 

who have had ovarian cancer.

• Having had breast, uterine, or 

colorectal cancer.

• Having an Eastern European 

(Ashkenazi) Jewish background.

• Having never given birth or 

having had trouble getting 

pregnant.

• Having endometriosis (a 

condition where tissue from 

the lining of the uterus grows 

elsewhere in the body).

If you have one or more of these 

factors, it does not mean you will get 

ovarian cancer. But you should speak 

with your doctor, nurse, or other health 

care professional about your risk. 

Who gets ovarian cancer?

All women are at risk for ovarian 

cancer, but older women are 

more likely to get the disease 

than younger women. About 

90 percent of women who get 

ovarian cancer are older than 

40, with the greatest number 

of ovarian cancers occurring in 

women aged 60 years or older. 

Each year, approximately 20,000 

women in the United States get 

ovarian cancer. Among women 

in the United States, ovarian 

cancer is the eighth most 

common cancer and the fifth 

leading cause of cancer death. 

Inside Knowledge is an initiative that 

supports the Gynecologic Cancer 

Education and Awareness Act of 2005, or 

Johanna’s Law, which was unanimously 

passed by the U.S. House and Senate in 

December of 2006, and signed into law 

in January 2007. 
What are the signs

and symptoms of 

ovarian cancer?

 

Ovarian cancer may cause 

one or more of these signs 

and symptoms: 

• Vaginal bleeding (particularly 

if you are past menopause) or 

discharge from your vagina 

that is not normal for you. 

• Pain or pressure in the pelvic 

or abdominal area (the area 

below your stomach and in 

between your hip bones).

• Back pain. 

• Bloating, which is when the 

area below your stomach 

swells or feels full.

• Feeling full quickly while eating.

• A change in your bathroom 

habits, such as having to pass 

urine very badly or very often, 

constipation, or diarrhea.

Pay attention to your body, and 

know what is normal for you. 

If you have vaginal bleeding 

that is not normal for you, see a 

doctor right away. If you have 

any of the other signs for two 

weeks or longer, see a doctor. 

These symptoms may be caused 

by something other than cancer, 

but the only way to know is to see 

your doctor. Treatment is most 

effective when ovarian cancer is 

found and treated early.

How can I prevent 

ovarian cancer?

There is no known way to prevent 

ovarian cancer. But these things 

may lower your chance of getting 

ovarian cancer:

• Having used birth control pills 

for more than five years.

• Having had a tubal ligation 

(getting your tubes tied), 

both ovaries removed, or 

hysterectomy (an operation in 

which the uterus, and sometimes 

the cervix, is removed).

• Having given birth.

Are there tests that can 

find ovarian cancer early?

There is no simple and reliable 

way to test for ovarian cancer in 

women who do not have any 

signs or symptoms. The Pap 

test does not screen for 

ovarian cancer. The only 

cancer the Pap test screens 

for is cervical cancer. However, 

here are steps you can take:

• Pay attention to your body, and 

know what is normal for you.

• If you notice any changes in 

your body that are not normal 

for you and could be a sign 

of ovarian cancer, talk to your 

doctor and ask about possible 

causes, such as ovarian cancer.

• Ask your doctor if you

should have a test, such as 

a rectovaginal pelvic exam, 

a transvaginal ultrasound, 

or a CA-125 blood test if:

 —

—

What should I do if my 

doctor says I have 

ovarian cancer?

If your doctor says that you have 

ovarian cancer, ask to be referred 

to a gynecologic oncologist—a 

doctor who has been trained to 

treat cancers like this. This doctor 

will work with you to create a 

treatment plan.

Where can I find more 

information about ovarian 

and other gynecologic 

cancers? 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention: 1-800-CDC-INFO or 

www.cdc.gov/cancer

National Cancer Institute: 

1-800-4-CANCER or www.cancer.gov

CDC Publication #99-9124, Revised May 2010

Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer