Ovarian cancer is when cancer cells grow in the ovaries. The ovaries make eggs for reproduction and female hormones. Cancer occurs when cells in the body (in this case ovarian cells) divide without control or order. Normally, cells divide in a regulated manner. If cells keep dividing uncontrollably when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms, called a growth or tumor. The term cancer refers to malignant tumors, which can invade nearby tissue and can spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor does not invade or spread.
The most common type of ovarian cancer is epithelial. Many of these tumors are cystic. They may grow to be very large without showing symptoms. Because of this, and because these tumors can be hard to find during a physical exam, about 70% of patients are found with advanced disease.
Germ cell tumors come from the reproductive tissue. They account for 20% of tumors. More rare are stromal cancers. These come from the connective cells of the ovary and typically make hormones which cause symptoms (such as male patterns of hair growth, no menstrual periods, or increased menstrual bleeding).
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