Types of ovarian cancer

There are several types of epithelial cancers of the ovary. The most common types are:

• serous
• endometrioid.

Less common types of epithelial ovarian cancer are:

• mucinous
• clear cell
• undifferentiated or unclassifiable.

They are currently all treated in a similar way.

Less common types of ovarian cancer

There are also less common types of ovarian cancer:

• Germ cell tumours  (ovarian teratomas) tend to affect younger women and behave very differently to other types of ovarian cancer. They start in the cells of the ovary that produce eggs.
• Soft tissue sarcomas  develop in the soft, supportive tissues of the body such as connective tissue, muscle and fat, most commonly in the arms and legs. They can occur in the ovaries, but this is very rare.

This section does not cover treatment for these rarer types of ovarian cancer. For more information about these types of cancer, click on the links above.

Related cancers

Primary peritoneal cancer

Primary peritoneal cancer|  (PPC) is a rare cancer that behaves much like epithelial ovarian cancer and is treated in the same way. It starts in the peritoneum, the membrane that helps protect the organs inside the abdomen such as the stomach and liver. Unlike ovarian cancer, PPC can occur in men, though this is very rare.