Most ovarian cancers are a type called epithelial cancer. Epithelial ovarian cancer means the cancer has started in the cells that cover the surface of the ovary. 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.
There are also less common types of ovarian cancer. These include germ cell tumours (ovarian teratomas) and sarcomas. Germ cell tumours tend to affect younger women and behave very differently to other types of ovarian cancer.
This section does not cover treatment for the rarer types of ovarian cancer. For more information about these types of cancer please contact our information service.