Ovarian cancer is cancer anywhere in the ovaries. The ovaries store the eggs needed to make a baby. They are part of the female reproductive system. 

Anyone with ovaries can develop ovarian cancer but it is more common in women aged 50 and over. More than half of cases are in women aged 65 and over.

Symptoms are not always obvious. This means that sometimes ovarian cancer is not diagnosed until it has already spread to other areas of the body. 

About ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer develops after a change in the DNA of the cells in an ovary. (DNA is the genetic material that tells cells what to do.) As these faulty cells divide and multiply, they eventually cause a cancer. 

Sometimes a cancer cell from the tumour in your ovary can spread to other parts of your body such as your liver or lungs. This is known as secondary (or ‘metastatic’) ovarian cancer. It is also sometimes called advanced cancer.

Anyone with ovaries can develop ovarian cancer but it is more common in women aged 50 and over. You cannot develop ovarian cancer if you have had your ovaries removed. 

Some cases of ovarian cancer are linked to genes that can be passed from a parent to a child. These genes include the BRCA genes and genes linked to Lynch syndrome.

You may be at more risk of ovarian cancer if you:

  • Inherited certain genes such as the BRCA genes or those linked to Lynch syndrome
  • Had breast cancer or bowel cancer
  • Had radiotherapy for a previous cancer
  • Have endometriosis or diabetes
  • Have released more eggs. This could be because:
    • you started your periods young
    • you went through the menopause aged 55 and over, or 
    • you have not had a baby 
  • Have never used hormonal contraception such as the pill or an implant
  • Are taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
  • Are overweight
  • Smoke

Symptoms of ovarian cancer are not always obvious. This means ovarian cancer is sometimes not diagnosed until it has already spread to other areas of the body.

The most common symptoms are frequently having one or more of the following:

  • Feeling bloated or having a swollen tummy
  • Tummy pain
  • Urgently needing to pee or needing to pee more often
  • Loss of appetite or feeling full more quickly than usual

Other symptoms can include:

  • Indigestion
  • Constipation or diarrhoea
  • Back pain
  • Tiredness that does not go away 
  • Bleeding from the vagina after menopause

It is important to see a health professional if you have symptoms or changes in your body that are unusual for you. This is particularly important if your symptoms are frequent – for example, 12 or more times a month.

Treatment depends on a range of factors including the size, stage and location of your tumour. It may also depend on your age, general health and genetic factors (linked to the DNA changes in your cells) that tell us how your cancer developed. 

Treatment options can include one or more of the following:

  • Surgery – this may be before, during or after other treatments
  • Drug therapies such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The general term for these is systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT)
  • Radiotherapy 

When you are diagnosed, your care will be discussed at a multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) where different specialists will consider the best treatment options for you. Your doctor will discuss this with you so you can decide what is right for you.

Genomics and cancer

Genomics is the study of a person’s genes (or ‘genome’) – the material in DNA that makes each person unique. Cancer is caused by changes in the DNA of a cell and tell it to multiply out of control. 

Understanding where this change has occurred – for example, which gene is faulty – can help us know which treatment will give you the best chance of killing the cancer cells and stopping new ones from growing. 

Gene testing can be used to detect BRCA and /or Lynch Syndrome and if this is recommended for you, your clinical team will explain this to you in more detail at your appointment. 

Our treatments

At The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, we provide specialist non-surgical treatment for ovarian cancer. We also work closely with surgical teams in other hospitals to plan and coordinate your care every step of the way. 

Systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT)

SACT is a term used to describe the different drug therapies for cancer. These include: 

  • Chemotherapy – which aims to kill cancer cells
  • Immunotherapy – which aims to train your immune system to attack cancer 
  • Targeted therapies – which aim to target the DNA and cell changes that cause cancer such as hormone therapy.

The treatments we offer for ovarian cancer include:

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is medicine that kills cancer cells.

  • It may be given before and after surgery, or it may be used on its own.
  • It may also be used for ovarian cancer that has come back.
Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy medicines help your immune system to find and kill cancer cells. There are different types of immunotherapy and this is currently only available in clinical trials for ovarian cancer.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapies are medicines that target things that help cancer cells to grow or survive. They include bevacizumab and PARP inhibitors, as well as other medicines in ovarian cancer. Targeted therapies are standard treatment for some types of cancer, and currently involved in clinical trials for many other types of cancer,

If this treatment is recommended for you, your clinical team will explain this to you in more detail at your appointment.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays of radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiotherapy may be given for various reasons, depending on how big the cancer is and whether it has spread.

You may have radiotherapy for ovarian cancer to:

  • Treat advanced cancer if other treatments are not right for you
  • Help with symptoms, such as bleeding, pain or discomfort

Clinical trials

Research and trials of new cancer treatments are an important part of our work. Your consultant will tell you about any clinical trials that may be suitable for you.

You are also very welcome to ask us about clinical trials during your appointments. We will be happy to answer any questions you have. 

Find out more about clinical trials. 

Treatment locations

We have a multi-site model where we visit hospitals across Cheshire and Merseyside to provide treatment and consultations closer to patients’ homes. 

We provide systemic anti-cancer therapies (e.g. chemotherapy and immunotherapy) for ovarian cancer at the following sites:

  • Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool
  • Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Wirral
  • Halton – CanTreat Unit
  • St Helens – Lilac Centre
  • Outreach services to the Isle of Man

We provide radiotherapy for ovarian cancer in: 

  • Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool

Clinical trials for ovarian cancer are delivered at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool.

The team consists of clinical oncologists, medical oncologists, a nurse consultant, clinical nurse specialists, radiographers, pharmacy, research practitioners, administrative support and a cancer support worker. 

Our operational management team makes sure the service runs smoothly.

Consultants 

Medical Oncologists

Dr Rosie Lord
Dr Danielle Shaw
Dr Laura Cossar

Clinical Oncologists

Dr Karen Whitmarsh
Dr Anthea Cree
Dr Elizabeth Mullen

Associate Specialist Doctor

Dr Mona Chopra

Specialist Doctor

Dr Muhammad Heiba

Clinical Nurse Specialists

Caron Robb
Jenny Gleave

Cancer Support Workers

Rachel Burns

Our Cancer Information and Support Centres can provide individualised help and support for patients and families affected by cancer. The team’s main base is in Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool but they also work at our Aintree and Wirral hospitals.

There are also local Macmillan services in other hospitals across our region.

External sites that offer extra support and information about womb cancer include: