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Ovarian Cancer Research Highlights

Ovarian cancer causes more deaths in women living in the United States than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. The American Cancer Society’s (ACS) research programs help find answers to critical questions:

  • How can ovarian cancer be diagnosed early?
  • How can the risk of developing ovarian cancer be lowered?
  • Are there more effective treatments?
  • What could help survivors have a better quality of life?

We continue to fund research to help save more lives in the future.  

Ovarian Cancer Still Causes the Most Deaths from Gynecological Cancer

About 90% of cases are epithelial ovarian cancer, and most of those cases are high-grade serous tumors, which have the fewest established risk factors and the worst prognosis.

Risk & Prevention Studies

We've Learned More About the Risk of Developing Ovarian Cancer

Thanks to CPS-II and CPS-3 participants!  

Black nurse holding blood vials wearing purple gloves

The ACS’s CPS-II Nutrition Cohort is part of the Collaborative Group on Epidemiological Studies of Ovarian Cancer. This group helped establish the increased risk for ovarian cancer in women with excess body weight and the decreased risk of ovarian cancer for women who use oral contraceptives.”

Alpa Patel, PhD

Senior Vice President Population Science

American Cancer Society

asian woman wearing turquoise patterned shirt

Ovarian Cancer Statistics on Age

40

It's rare for women younger than 40 to have ovarian cancer.

63

Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women age 63 or older.

 

Learn about the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Featured Term: Biomarker

A measurable molecular, genetic, chemical, or physical characteristic in the blood or other bodily fluids, such as sweat and tears, that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process or of a health condition or disease. A biomarker may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease. 

Featured Term: Susceptibility Biomarkers

A biomarker that signals the potential, or risk, a person has to develop a disease before they have symptoms. For instance, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is a susceptibility biomarker for heart disease.

Go to the Glossary for Nonscientists

Early Detection Studies

Glowing “Fingerprint” from a Blood Test May Find Ovarian Cancer Early

Machine learning and tiny glowing nanosensors enable the detection of ovarian cancer from a blood test.
 

Ovarian Cancer May Start in Fallopian Tube Cells

By studying fallopian tube cells from cancer-free women, researchers learned more about the origin of the most deadly type of ovarian cancer.

A New Gene Is Linked with the Deadliest Type of Ovarian Cancer

Researchers develop a new genetically engineered mouse ovarian cancer model to explore potential new drug targets to treat epithelial ovarian cancer.

Ovarian Cancer Statistics on Racial Disparities

5 of 5

the rank Black people have on a 1-to-5 scale (with 5 as the lowest) for the incidence rate of ovarian cancer based on race and ethnicity

3 of 5

the rank Black people have on a 1-to-5 scale (with 5 as the lowest) for the death rate of ovarian cancer based on race and ethnicity

 

1 of 1

the rank American Indian and Alaska Native people have on a 1-to-5 scale (with 5 as the lowest) for incidence rate AND death rate for ovarian cancer based on race and ethnicity

Treatment Studies

New Gene-Testing Tools May Personalize Ovarian Cancer Care

Researchers say using next-generation sequencing technology as a diagnostic tool may increase precision treatment plans for people with ovarian cancer.

Chromosome-Hoarding Ovarian Cancer Cells May Help Treatment

Using new CRISPR tools, researchers learn extra chromosomes promote tumor growth and paradoxically may help activate some treatments.

Testing Nanoparticles to Deliver Drugs to Mice with Ovarian Cancer

Researchers find that drugs successfully attack metastasized ovarian tumors when they're given via teeny nanoparticles injected directly into the abdomen.

Ovarian Cancer Advocacy

Listen to Vanessa's story: She's an ovarian cancer survivor and now advocates to help other survivors have access to care.

ACS Ovarian Cancer Research News

Sitting Too Much Increases Cancer Risk in Women

Statistics
(Downloadable PDFs)

Cancer Facts & Figures 2024

Special Section Ovarian Cancer

Useful Links

Ovarian Cancer - ACS Cancer Statistics Center

Glossary for Nonscientists

We Fund Ovarian Cancer Researchers Across the US

The ACS funds scientists who conduct research about ovarian cancer at medical schools, universities, research institutes, and hospitals throughout the United States. We use a rigorous and independent peer review process to select the most innovative research projects proposals to fund. 

These grant statistics are as of July 15, 2024.

44

ovarian cancer research grants

$28M

funding for ovarian cancer research

See more funding statistics

Help us end cancer as we know it, for everyone.

 
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