Ovarian cancer

Abstract

Ovarian carcinomas account for more deaths annually than any other gynecological cancer in the US. More than twice as many women die of ovarian cancer than endometrial cancer in spite of the fact that cancer of the endometrium is more frequent than that of the ovary. The 5-year survival of patients affected by these tumors has improved only modestly, from 45.4 to 48.6 % during the last two decades. The high mortality associated with ovarian carcinomas is due largely to the hidden anatomical location of the ovaries, which complicates the detection of abnormalities on physical examination, and the fact that these tumors typically remain asymptomatic until they spread outside the ovary, at which time they are difficult to eradicate. Hopefully, advances in our understanding of the histogenesis of ovarian epithelial tumors as well as of their underlying molecular mechanisms will lead to more effective strategies aimed at their early detection and prevention. This, in turn, should have a major impact on the morbidity and mortality associated with these tumors.