Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus (womb), situated relatively close to the Fallopian tubes. The ovaries are fairly loosely connected and able to move in relation to their surroundings. Normal ovaries are smooth, oval and measure no more than a couple of centimetres in diameter - slightly more if measured lengthwise.

Most ovarian tumours are benign and remain so. However, some may later become malignant or cancerous. Others are malignant from the beginning.

Some ovarian cancers have spread (metastasised) from cancers originating in other organs of the body.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are not specific to ovarian cancer and this often results in a late diagnosis of the disease. The cancer has often spread throughout the pelvis and abdomen by this time, and is therefore more difficult to treat successfully. Ovarian cancer may be discovered by chance during a routine gynaecological examination or it may be discovered because the tumour has grown so large that you can feel it, or because it is pressing on the bladder or intestines. Other symptoms can include an expanding waistline due to the collection of fluid within the abdomen from the cancer.