Ovarian cancer (Cancer of the ovary)

The ovaries are part of a woman's reproductive system. There are 2 ovaries, one on each side of the body in the pelvis area (the area between the hips in the lower part of the tummy). Each month, in women of childbearing age, one of the ovaries produces an egg and this is known as ovulation. In the middle of each period, the egg passes down from the ovaries through what is called a fallopian tube and then into the womb where it can be fertilised by sperm. If it is not fertilised it passes out of the body as part of the monthly period. The ovaries also produce the female sex hormones called oestrogen and progesterone and even a small amount of the male hormone testosterone. As women get older the ovaries make less and less of these hormones and periods eventually stop, and that is called the menopause. Ovarian cancer is most common in women who have had the menopause. There are various factors that can increase women´s risk of developing ovarian cancer and these include family history, taking hormone replacement therapy, a condition called endometriosis and damage in the surface of the ovaries that can occur when eggs are released from the ovaries to pass down to the womb. The most common type of ovarian cancer is called epithelial ovarian cancer - meaning that the cancer started in the epithelium, which is the surface layer that covers the ovaries. There are also other types and you may want to find out more.

To help you find answers to some of your questions, we have linked to Macmillan Cancer Support where you will be signposted to high quality information about ovarian cancer. The information on these websites is not written specifically for young people but it is written using simple language in a way that most people will be able to understand. Don’t worry if there are lots of links to different websites. Have a look on the description of the links and very often you will find the information you are searching for on the first website that you look at. If you just want general information about cancer you could read the ‘About cancer’ section on riprap.

Remember that the information on these sites is general. Within each cancer type, there are different variations, different stages, different treatments and people may also respond differently to the same treatments. Each person is an individual and because of this, generic information may not fit the situation you are thinking of. Often your parents or someone else who knows the details can answer your questions best. Also, please feel free to get in touch with us here at riprap. We can help you sorting through information or discuss things you’ve heard or read or anything at all that’s on your mind.

Don’t forget that there are lots of effective treatments for cancer these days and many cancers can be completely cured. There are also very good treatments to control cancers that cannot be cured and research is going on all the time to find new treatments that can control and cure cancers.

Page updated 13 July 2017