- Science
- Clinical Trials
- Guide to Clinical Trials Your participation makes a difference
- Clinical Trials in Children Designed to improve kids' health
- Data and Results Sharing our Results
- Integrity and Transparency Building Trust
- Diversity Equity and Representation
- Plain Language Study Results Trial Result Summaries
- Expanded Access & Compassionate Use Possible Treatment Options
- Find a Trial
- Areas of Focus
- Rare Disease Smaller populations but big impact
- Internal Medicine Extending lifespans worldwide
- Inflammation & Immunology Treatment at the molecular level
- Vaccines Preventing the spread of infections
- Oncology The science of optimism
- Anti Infectives Combatting an evolving risk
- Areas of Innovation
- Gene Therapy Breakthroughs become treatments
- Medicinal Sciences The next generation of science
- Precision Medicine Developing tailored medicines
- Maternal Immunization Protecting newborns at the start
- mRNA Technology Unleashing the next wave of scientific innovations
- Diseases & Conditions
- Coronavirus Resources
- Product Pipeline
- Research Sites
- Clinical Trials
- Products
- How Drugs are Made
- Branded vs. Generic Learn the difference
- Biologics & Biosimilars Cures found in nature
- Commitment to Quality Maintaining the highest standards
- Global Supply Strategic manufacturing locations
- Manufacturing Sites Where medicine is made in the U.S.
- Medicine Safety
- Health Literacy Learning to be well
- Treatment Choices Learning about treatment decisions
- Partnering With Patients Helping others by reporting side effects
- Tips for Patients Preventing medication errors
- Reporting Adverse Events
- Counterfeiting Preventing medication errors
- Product Safety
- Product List
- Product Contacts
- PfizerPro for Professionals
- Patient Assistance Programs
- Distributors
- How Drugs are Made
- Stories
- Newsroom
- About
- People
- Executives Our senior-most leadership
- Board Members The people steering our company
- Scientists Our experts making discoveries
- Patient Stories Our patients
- Colleague Stories Our colleagues
- Responsibility
- Ethics & Compliance Each of us is responsible
- Responsible Business Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives
- Patient Advocacy & Engagement Putting Patients First
- Global Impact Meeting urgent needs worldwide
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Everyone has something to offer
- Environmental Sustainability Our responsiblity to the environment
- Human Rights Furthering dignity and worth
- Health & Safety
- Intellectual Property The benefits of fair competition
- EHS Governance
- Misinformation
- Programs & Policies
- Grants Support for independent research
- Political Partnership Supporting like-minded organizations
- Working with Healthcare Professionals Collaboration to improve lives
- Prescription Value & Pricing How to lower patient costs
- Privacy Principles Commitment to personal data privacy
- Ready for Cures Improving Access to Medicines
- Transparency in Grants Committed to Disclosure
- Investors
- Investors Overview Information for stockholders
- Why Invest Why to join us in our mission
- Events & Presentations Calendar of upcoming events
- Financial Reports Quarterly reports and more
- Investor News Announcements about our performance
- Stock Information Charts and data
- Shareholder Services Information on stock transactions
- Corporate Governance
- Corporate Governance Overview Gaining insight into our performance
- Board Committees & Charters Defining the corporate structure
- The Pfizer Board Policies Ensuring ethical leadership
- Corporate Governance FAQs Learn more about our approach
- Contact Our Directors Email any of our Directors
- Purpose
- History
- Careers
- Partners
- People
Disease Education Information
Ovarian cancer is cancer that begins in the ovaries, which are almond-sized female reproductive organs that produce eggs and the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Cancer can also start in the related areas of the fallopian tubes and the peritoneum and spread to the ovaries.1
Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecologic cancer in the U.S. and the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women.2,3
- What is Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer is cancer that forms in the ovaries, the fallopian tubes or the peritoneum.1 Women have two ovaries that are located in the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries produce eggs and make female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Women also have two fallopian tubes which are long, slender tubes on each side of the uterus. Eggs pass from the ovaries through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. The peritoneum is the tissue lining that covers organs in the abdomen.1
- What Causes Ovarian Cancer and Who gets It?
The exact cause of ovarian cancer is not known. However, there are several known risk factors that may increase your chances of developing ovarian cancer. These risk factors include:4
- Older age. Most ovarian cancers develop after menopause.
- Obesity. Being obese may also impact overall survival.
- Have never given birth or had trouble getting pregnant.
- Hormone replacement therapy. Women who take estrogen alone or with progesterone after menopause have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to women who have never used hormones.
- Family history of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, or colorectal cancer. Your ovarian cancer risk is increased if your mother, sister, or daughter has (or has had) ovarian cancer. The risk also gets higher the more relatives you have with ovarian cancer. Increased risk for ovarian cancer can also come from your father's side.
- Family history of a genetic mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, or one associated with Lynch syndrome.
- Have an Eastern European or Ashkenazi Jewish background.
- Have endometriosis (a condition where tissue from the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body).
- What are the Symptoms?
Signs or symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:5
- Vaginal bleeding (particularly if you are past menopause), or discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.
- Pain or pressure in the pelvic area.
- Abdominal or back pain.
- Bloating.
- Feeling full too quickly, or difficulty eating.
- A change in your bathroom habits, such as more frequent or urgent need to urinate and/or constipation.
- How is It Diagnosed?
There is no single or reliable screening test for ovarian cancer.6 To diagnose ovarian cancer, healthcare providers may perform one or more tests. They may include a physical exam, a pelvic exam, lab tests, ultrasound, or a biopsy.6,7
- Can It be Treated?
Treatment for ovarian cancer usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.8
Articles
One in three people in the United States will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.i This means you, or someone you know, may someday be impacted. This disease does not discriminate.
When Nikki Shaffer was diagnosed with breast cancer at 35, she had so many questions. How should she tell her three young children about it? Should she keep working? Would she see her kids grow up? That was in 2009.
For many cancer survivors, life splits into two stages: before cancer and after cancer. That’s been the case for Lynette Bojko, Pfizer’s Head of Strategic Sourcing & Business Management. She was diagnosed with breast cancer just before her 40th birthday.
In 2010, Mindi noticed that a mole on the left side of her chest was bleeding. She felt concerned, but not panicked; after all, the air outside in Salt Lake City, UT had been dry, the 22-year-old reasoned.
Jennifer Flowers thought her pain and fatigue were a side effect of working out. Perhaps she’d pushed herself too hard or strained a muscle. But the pain persisted, so she scheduled an appointment with her doctor. Her diagnosis—multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer—was unexpected.
Prostate health is not a popular topic of conversation. Even in healthcare settings, patients and providers might be hesitant to discuss prostate health or cancer screening.
Receiving a lung cancer diagnosis may inspire a lot of questions: Will my cancer spread? What are the best treatment options for my type of lung cancer? How well do treatments work? There are no one-size-fits-all answers to questions about lung cancer—and that can be a good thing.
By Get Science Staff - This article originally published on Get Science Asian women, compared to their counterparts in western countries, are diagnosed with breast cancer at earlier ages and face a worse prognosis. In an effort to better understand this patient population, scientists from Pfizer a
Until the 20th century, breast cancer was considered an unspeakable condition, and in general, cancer was seen as an incurable disease.1 Thanks to increases in funding, research, and patient advocacy, there is greater awareness of and care for people living with breast cancer.2 But, for people with
When it comes to your health, what you don’t know can hurt you. That’s why healthcare providers recommend cancer screenings. These tests look for signs of cancer before you have any symptoms.
Area of Focus: Oncology
Ovarian Cancer is a focus of our Oncology Therapeutic Area.
Clinical Trials
We proudly partner with thousands of study sites and tens of thousands of trial participants around the world. It's these clinical trials that lead to life-changing medicines.
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/basic_info/
- https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/statistics/index.htm
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/basic_info/symptoms.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/basic_info/screening.htm
- https://medlineplus.gov/ovariancancer.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/basic_info/treatment.htm