Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Historical introduction
- PART I Epidemiological methods
- PART II Causative factors in human cancer
- PART III Legal and ethical considerations
- PART IV Introduction: total and specific site epidemiology
- PART V Buccal cavity
- PART VI Digestive system
- PART VII Respiratory system
- PART VIII Bone and soft tissue
- PART IX Skin
- PART X Breast and genitourinary system
- 40 Breast
- 41 Uterine cervix
- 42 Choriocarcinoma
- 43 Endometrium (corpus uteri)
- 44 Ovary
- 45 Prostate
- 46 Testis
- 47 Penis and scrotum
- 48 Urinary tract, bladder, ureter and urethra
- 49 Kidney and renal pelvis
- PART XI Eye and nervous system
- PART XII Thyroid and other endocrine glands, lymphoid and hematopoietic system
- PART XIII Cancers in children and multiple primary cancers
- Conclusions
- Appendix 1 Cancer statistics
- Appendix 2 A glossary of epidemiological terms
- Appendix 3 Acronyms and abbreviations
- Supplement
- Index
44 - Ovary
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Historical introduction
- PART I Epidemiological methods
- PART II Causative factors in human cancer
- PART III Legal and ethical considerations
- PART IV Introduction: total and specific site epidemiology
- PART V Buccal cavity
- PART VI Digestive system
- PART VII Respiratory system
- PART VIII Bone and soft tissue
- PART IX Skin
- PART X Breast and genitourinary system
- 40 Breast
- 41 Uterine cervix
- 42 Choriocarcinoma
- 43 Endometrium (corpus uteri)
- 44 Ovary
- 45 Prostate
- 46 Testis
- 47 Penis and scrotum
- 48 Urinary tract, bladder, ureter and urethra
- 49 Kidney and renal pelvis
- PART XI Eye and nervous system
- PART XII Thyroid and other endocrine glands, lymphoid and hematopoietic system
- PART XIII Cancers in children and multiple primary cancers
- Conclusions
- Appendix 1 Cancer statistics
- Appendix 2 A glossary of epidemiological terms
- Appendix 3 Acronyms and abbreviations
- Supplement
- Index
Summary
Introduction
Although ovarian cancer is only moderately frequent, it is the most common cause of death from gynecological neoplasms in western countries. The range of geographical variation is modest.
Histology, classification and diagnosis
The majority of tumors are serous or pseudomucinous cystadenocarcinomas which arise from celomic epithelium. Malignant germ cell tumors, such as granulosa-cell carcinoma, are comparatively rare, and occur at younger ages. As many cancers remain clinically silent for a considerable period, prognosis tends to be poor.
Descriptive epidemiology
Incidence Highest rates are observed in Hawaiian and Pacific Island Polynesians (25.8). In contrast, rates in New Zealand Maoris (10.9) are much lower, the incidence being the same as in non-Maoris. The highest rates reported from Europe are 17.3 in the Ardeche in France and just over 15 for Norway, Sweden and migrants to Israel born in Europe or North America. Most rates in Europe and North America range between 8 and 12. Rates for US blacks are about two-thirds of those for whites (Fig. 44.1). While women in Asia have a relatively low incidence, in the 5 to 7 range, Chinese and Japanese who reside in the USA tend to show slightly higher rates.
In most registries, few changes over time have been observed but slight rises have been reported in both Japanese and Singapore Chinese.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Human CancerEpidemiology and Environmental Causes, pp. 403 - 406Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1992