Ovarian Cancer forms in tissues of the ovary (one of a pair of female reproductive glands in which the ova, or eggs, are formed). Most ovarian cancers are either ovarian epithelial carcinomas (cancer that begins in the cells on the surface of the ovary) or malignant germ cell tumors (cancer that begins in egg cells).

Estimated new cases and deaths from ovarian cancer in the United States in 2009:

New cases:  21,550
Deaths:  14,600

To learn more about ovarian cancer, visit the National Cancer Institute web site at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/ovarian