Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in Ireland and each year around 400 people here are diagnosed with it.
It is often labelled a "silent killer" because warning signs usually only develop when the disease has reached an advanced stage.
When cancer occurs, the cells in the ovary change to form a tumour. Because the ovaries are deep in the pelvis the tumour, it may cause very few symptoms in the early stages. As the tumour gets bigger it may affect tissues and organs nearby such as your bladder or bowel. When this happens the tumour may upset the way these tissues and organs normally work. This in turn can lead to symptoms.
