Ovarian cancer: Your questions, answered

Sep 16, 2024

You may be hearing more about ovarian cancer on social media or in the news and wonder what’s going on and whether you need to worry. Actress Kathy Bates, tennis legend Chris Evert and Representative Rosa LeLauro are just a few of the prominent people who have come forward in recent years with their diagnoses in the hopes of educating others about a disease that can be hard to detect. There’s no routine screening available for ovarian cancer—underscoring the importance of knowing your family history as well as the signs and symptoms to look out for.

Read on to learn more about the latest concerning ovarian cancer and steps you can take to reduce your risk.

What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer where abnormal cells develop in the ovaries. This leads to tumor formation that can be benign (non-cancerous), borderline (low chance of malignancy) or malignant (cancerous). Ovarian cancer can also develop in the cells at the ends of one of the fallopian tubes or the peritoneum and spread to an ovary. These are called fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancers and are grouped together with ovarian cancer as they are classified and treated the same.

How common is it?

Ovarian cancer occurs less often than other types of cancer. In fact, the number of people diagnosed in the United States has been decreasing overall since 1990.¹

When ovarian cancer does occur, it is often found in more advanced stages, which is one reason why it’s a leading cause of cancer death among those assigned female at birth.

What are the symptoms?

Ovarian cancer usually does not cause symptoms in its early stages. When symptoms of early ovarian cancer do occur, they are often vague and may be overlooked or confused for something else (like ovarian cysts, IBS or UTIs). These symptoms include bloating, abdominal or pelvic pain, feeling full quickly after eating, and urinary symptoms, such as having to urinate more frequently. Other symptoms that occur less often include back pain, constipation, menstrual irregularities, pain during sex, fatigue or weight loss.

The key to knowing when these symptoms may be related to something more serious (like cancer) is when they are persistent (lasting longer than a few weeks) and different than what is normal for you. If that is the case, see your health care provider right away.

What puts me at risk for ovarian cancer?

Everyone with ovaries is at risk for ovarian cancer. But some things increase that risk. These include:

Older age (particularly after menopause)
Family history of ovarian, fallopian tube, primary peritoneal, breast or colorectal cancer
Having inherited or acquired genetic variants (or mutations) like BRCA1/2 mutations
Being overweight or obese
Having children later in life (after age 35) or not at all
Having endometriosis
Taking hormone replacement therapy after menopause

Additional risk factors are sometimes named, such as having a poor diet, utilizing infertility treatment with IVF or using talcum powder, but research findings on these risk factors are mixed.

Can I get screened for ovarian cancer?

There are no routine screening options for ovarian cancer. In its early stages, ovarian cancer can be hard to detect as it often doesn’t cause any symptoms. Regular pelvic exams and being aware of any family history of the disease can support early detection efforts—because there is no screening currently available, it’s even more important to pay attention to any symptoms that could be signs of ovarian cancer.

What can I do to reduce my risk?

Using oral contraceptives (birth control pills) has been shown to lower the risk of ovarian cancer.* For those at high risk due to genetic changes or family history, talk to your doctor about your options. They may recommend oral contraceptives, routine screening with a transvaginal ultrasound and/or blood test, or surgery, which could include removing the ovaries and fallopian tubes.

If you have a family history of ovarian, fallopian tube, primary peritoneal, breast or colorectal cancer, talk to your health care provider and visit preventcancer.org to learn about genetic testing.

Everyone can take steps like eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy body weight, and avoiding smoking to lower the risk of ovarian cancer and promote overall health.

*Using oral contraceptives may impact your risk for different types of cancer in different ways. Talk to your health care provider to make the decision that’s right for you.

¹ American Cancer Society. (2024). Cancer facts and figures 2024. Available at https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2024/2024-cancer-facts-and-figures-acs.pdf