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Understanding Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cancer Statistics
This is the fifth article in the Understanding Ovarian Cancer Guide. This guide was developed by the HealthTree Education Team and was last updated and reviewed on May 20, 2026.
Ovarian cancer causes cells in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or peritoneum to grow too fast and form a tumor or abnormal growth. This page explains how many people are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year and what survival statistics look like.
For many people, one of the first questions after an ovarian cancer diagnosis is "what is my prognosis?" or "how long will I live with ovarian cancer?" It is important to remember that every person is different, and researchers are always studying new treatments. Statistics describe groups of people. They cannot predict what will happen for any one individual.
It is also important to remember that these statistics tell us about groups of people, not individuals. Statistics can be hard to understand. Always talk to your doctor about your specific diagnosis and what these statistics mean for you.
Some people may choose not to read about statistics after a diagnosis. If you would prefer to skip this section, consider reading another part of this guide.
The next section in this guide is How is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed, which covers the different types of tests used to confirm an ovarian cancer diagnosis and understand more about it. If you have already received an ovarian cancer diagnosis, consider skipping ahead to How is Ovarian Cancer Staged and Classified.
How common is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer is less common than breast, lung, or colorectal cancer, but because it is often diagnosed at a later stage, it leads to more deaths than any other gynecologic cancer in the United States. It is estimated that more that approximately 20,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and about 12,000 women die from the disease each year.
A woman in the United States has roughly a 1 in 78 lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer and a 1 in 108 lifetime risk of dying from it. Most cases are diagnosed in women over the age of 60, but ovarian cancer can occur at any age, particularly germ cell tumors in younger women.
Globally, ovarian cancer rates vary widely. Higher rates are seen in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.
What is the survival rate for ovarian cancer?
Researchers use a statistic called the relative survival rate to understand how long most people live after a specific cancer diagnosis. This number compares people with the disease to people without it.
As an example: imagine two groups of 100 people. Group A does not have cancer. Group B does. After 5 years, 90 people in Group A are still alive. In Group B, 65 people are still alive. The 5-year relative survival rate would be about 72% — because 65 is 72% of 90.
The overall 5-year relative survival rate for ovarian cancer in the United States is approximately 51%. However, survival rates vary significantly by stage at diagnosis:
- Localized (cancer is confined to the ovary or fallopian tube): ~93% 5-year survival
- Regional (cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or pelvic organs): ~74% 5-year survival
- Distant (cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs, or distant lymph nodes): ~31% 5-year survival
Unfortunately, only about 1 in 5 ovarian cancers is found at the localized stage. The majority are diagnosed after the cancer has spread within the abdomen or to distant sites, which is why overall survival is lower than for many other cancers.
Survival also varies by ovarian cancer subtype. Germ cell tumors and stromal tumors generally have higher survival rates than high-grade serous epithelial cancers. Low-grade serous, endometrioid, and mucinous cancers also tend to have better outcomes than high-grade serous cancer when caught early.
It is also important to remember that relative survival rates reflect data collected over the past several years. These numbers may not include the most recent advances in treatment. New therapies, particularly PARP inhibitors and immunotherapies, continue to improve outcomes for many patients. Always talk to your doctor about what these statistics mean for your specific situation.
Is ovarian cancer curable?
When ovarian cancer is caught at an early stage, before it has spread beyond the ovary or fallopian tube, it is often curable with surgery and chemotherapy. Even when ovarian cancer is diagnosed at a more advanced stage, treatment can be highly effective and many people live for years after diagnosis. Some patients with advanced ovarian cancer achieve long-term remission, particularly those with BRCA mutations who respond well to PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy. Researchers continue to make advances that improve outcomes for patients at all stages.
What's Next: The next section in this guide covers How is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed? If you would like to read another page in this guide, return to the Understanding Ovarian Cancer page and choose another page from the menu.
SOURCES:
Ovarian Cancer Statistics
This is the fifth article in the Understanding Ovarian Cancer Guide. This guide was developed by the HealthTree Education Team and was last updated and reviewed on May 20, 2026.
Ovarian cancer causes cells in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or peritoneum to grow too fast and form a tumor or abnormal growth. This page explains how many people are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year and what survival statistics look like.
For many people, one of the first questions after an ovarian cancer diagnosis is "what is my prognosis?" or "how long will I live with ovarian cancer?" It is important to remember that every person is different, and researchers are always studying new treatments. Statistics describe groups of people. They cannot predict what will happen for any one individual.
It is also important to remember that these statistics tell us about groups of people, not individuals. Statistics can be hard to understand. Always talk to your doctor about your specific diagnosis and what these statistics mean for you.
Some people may choose not to read about statistics after a diagnosis. If you would prefer to skip this section, consider reading another part of this guide.
The next section in this guide is How is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed, which covers the different types of tests used to confirm an ovarian cancer diagnosis and understand more about it. If you have already received an ovarian cancer diagnosis, consider skipping ahead to How is Ovarian Cancer Staged and Classified.
How common is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer is less common than breast, lung, or colorectal cancer, but because it is often diagnosed at a later stage, it leads to more deaths than any other gynecologic cancer in the United States. It is estimated that more that approximately 20,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and about 12,000 women die from the disease each year.
A woman in the United States has roughly a 1 in 78 lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer and a 1 in 108 lifetime risk of dying from it. Most cases are diagnosed in women over the age of 60, but ovarian cancer can occur at any age, particularly germ cell tumors in younger women.
Globally, ovarian cancer rates vary widely. Higher rates are seen in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.
What is the survival rate for ovarian cancer?
Researchers use a statistic called the relative survival rate to understand how long most people live after a specific cancer diagnosis. This number compares people with the disease to people without it.
As an example: imagine two groups of 100 people. Group A does not have cancer. Group B does. After 5 years, 90 people in Group A are still alive. In Group B, 65 people are still alive. The 5-year relative survival rate would be about 72% — because 65 is 72% of 90.
The overall 5-year relative survival rate for ovarian cancer in the United States is approximately 51%. However, survival rates vary significantly by stage at diagnosis:
- Localized (cancer is confined to the ovary or fallopian tube): ~93% 5-year survival
- Regional (cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or pelvic organs): ~74% 5-year survival
- Distant (cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs, or distant lymph nodes): ~31% 5-year survival
Unfortunately, only about 1 in 5 ovarian cancers is found at the localized stage. The majority are diagnosed after the cancer has spread within the abdomen or to distant sites, which is why overall survival is lower than for many other cancers.
Survival also varies by ovarian cancer subtype. Germ cell tumors and stromal tumors generally have higher survival rates than high-grade serous epithelial cancers. Low-grade serous, endometrioid, and mucinous cancers also tend to have better outcomes than high-grade serous cancer when caught early.
It is also important to remember that relative survival rates reflect data collected over the past several years. These numbers may not include the most recent advances in treatment. New therapies, particularly PARP inhibitors and immunotherapies, continue to improve outcomes for many patients. Always talk to your doctor about what these statistics mean for your specific situation.
Is ovarian cancer curable?
When ovarian cancer is caught at an early stage, before it has spread beyond the ovary or fallopian tube, it is often curable with surgery and chemotherapy. Even when ovarian cancer is diagnosed at a more advanced stage, treatment can be highly effective and many people live for years after diagnosis. Some patients with advanced ovarian cancer achieve long-term remission, particularly those with BRCA mutations who respond well to PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy. Researchers continue to make advances that improve outcomes for patients at all stages.
What's Next: The next section in this guide covers How is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed? If you would like to read another page in this guide, return to the Understanding Ovarian Cancer page and choose another page from the menu.
SOURCES:
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