Epithelial carcinoma of the ovary or Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecologic diseases. It is serious and has a very high mortality rate. It is the fifth most frequent cause of cancer death in women. It is most common in women above fifty years of age. The cancer can appear in younger women too. It is seen that women having genetic predisposition are at greater risk. Clinical statistics also show less cases of this malignancy in women using contraceptive medication. Women who have had early pregnancy or have more children also seem to be at a lower risk factor.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer come into notice mostly when it grows for some time and the cancer mass becomes large enough. Some women, however, may feel some symptoms, like pelvic pain, even in the early stages. As the symptoms are vague and are often similar to those of common benign conditions, the victims often tend to ignore them.