Ovarian cancer is increasing in incidence in developed countries. This cancer accounts for 4% of the total cancer in women. About 6% of total cancer deaths in women are due to ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer results in almost one half of all deaths from gynaecological cancers. The greatest number of cases are found in women in the fifties.

Ovarian cancer is the most treatable of all cancers, as the majority are sensitive to anti-cancer therapies. However, this disease has the highest fatality to case ratio of all the gynaecological cancers. This is due to ovarian cancers being difficult to diagnose. At initial diagnosis about 60-70% have already reached stage 3 or 4.

Five year survival rate for ovarian cancer is about 35 to 40 per cent. ( Compare this with cervical and endometrial cancer which is about 55 to 60 per cent). Many women will die of the disease despite the best effort of medical and gynaecological oncologists.