Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cancer in UK women, with nearly 7,000 cases diagnosed every year.
The risk of ovarian cancer increases with age, and having a strong family history of the disease also increases a woman’s risk. Women who are overweight or obese or are taking HRT also have a higher risk. Women who have not had children have a greater risk of the cancer than those who have given birth. But taking the contraceptive pill for a number of years reduces the risk of ovarian cancer.
Cancer Research UK is one of the major funders of ovarian cancer research in the UK, investigating ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease. For example, we are funding research into screening for ovarian cancer, which has the potential to detect the disease at a much earlier stage and save lives.
Browse content about Ovarian cancer
Browse news and press releases about Ovarian cancer
- 'Boadicea' program predicts genetic cancer risk in women
- Blood test could hold key to improved survival for ovarian cancer patients
- Cancer Research UK highlights ovarian cancer
- Combination of symptom screening and blood test improves ovarian cancer diagnosis
- Fertility drugs do not raise ovarian cancer risk say Danish researchers
- Gene therapy for ovarian cancer shows early promise
- HRT increases incidence and deaths from ovarian cancer
- Missing protein provides clue to ovarian cancer drug success
- New breast cancer gene is 'missing link' in medical mystery
- New phase of Northern Ireland ovarian cancer screening trial launched
- New tool to investigate the early stages of ovarian cancer
- Ovarian cancer driven by fallopian tube development protein
- Ovarian cancer vaccine produces promising results in early trial
- Protein could define risk of ovarian cancer return
- Regular paracetamol use could reduce ovarian cancer risk
- Scientists close in on ovarian cancer gene
- Scientists trigger suicide switch in ovarian cancer cells
- Surgery beats surveillance for family breast and ovarian cancer
- Women and GPs lack awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms
- Approach root therapy gingerly warns Cancer Research UK
- Breast cancer gene linked to other cancers
- Cancer Research UK scientists discover pattern of genetic faults to predict cancer drug success
- Discovering how ovarian cancer spreads
- Gene mutation increases risk of ovarian cancer
- Genetic link to ovarian cancer found
- Low fat diet linked to reduce ovarian cancer risk
- More evidence for HRT link to ovarian cancer
- New drug trial to target hereditary cancers
- New study set to help women at high risk of breast or ovarian cancer
- Obesity reduces ovarian cancer survival say researchers
- Ovarian cancer rates fall 20 per cent
- Patient choice can be burden as well as blessing
- Protein forces ovarian cancer cells to eat themselves
- Researchers track ovarian cancer smoking risks
- Scientists find DNA repair 'scissors' after 18 year hunt
- Screening may provide early ovarian cancer warning
- The pill gives long-lasting protection against ovarian cancer
- Young women survive ovarian cancer longer
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