Ovarian cancer | Target Ovarian Cancer charity

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About ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer symptoms

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Target Ovarian Cancer is the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity. We work to improve early diagnosis, fund life-saving research and provide much-needed support to women with ovarian cancer.

Clinical Trials Information Centre

Clinical trials are essential for the development of new treatments. Be informed about ovarian cancer clinical trials which could help yourself and future generations.

Our website helps you find clinical trials near you.

Find Clinical Trials

Nurse Adviser Joan

Expert support

Worried about ovarian cancer? Or just need someone to talk to?

Whatever your question our Nurse Advisers are on hand to support you - call 020 7923 5475.

Call our Support Line

Essential guides

whathappensnext

What happens next?

Our guide for women with a recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer

Back here again

Back here again

Our guide for women if their ovarian cancer has returned

My care, my future cover

My care, my future

Our guide is for women who are living with incurable ovarian cancer

genetic testing and hereditary ovarian cancer guide

Genetic testing and hereditary ovarian cancer

Our guide for women with ovarian cancer and their families

Younger woman's guide cover

A younger woman's guide to ovarian cancer

Our joint guide for younger women with ovarian cancer

Symptoms leaflet

Symptoms leaflet

Our guide to ovarian cancer symptoms

Ovarian cancer and your finances cover

Ovarian cancer and your finances

Our mini guide about the impact of ovarian cancer on your finances

Ovarian cancer and complementary therapies cover

Ovarian cancer and complementary therapies

Our mini guide about using complementary therapies after an ovarian cancer diagnosis

Ovarian cancer, sex and intimacy cover

Ovarian cancer, sex and intimacy

Our mini guide about the impact of ovarian cancer on sex and intimacy

Living with ovarian cancer

Janet's ovarian cancer story

Janet saw multiple doctors before she was diagnosed

After ovarian cancer cost Helen her job, she retrained in counselling

Teresa found her mental health was affected post-cancer

Don and his wife, Glenys

Don and his wife have both supported each other through cancer

Rachael's mother Letitia

Rachael's story

Rachael fundraises to remember her mother

Claire stayed positive after a difficult diagnosis

Louise's ovarian cancer story

Louise thinks there's misconceptions about chemo

Tracey tells her ovarian cancer story

Tracey has come to a quiet acceptance of her diagnosis

Janet's cancer diagnosis freed her from a stressful job

Jennie has been diagnosed with incurable cancer

Andy's wife Val

Andy and Val's story

Andy lost his wife Val to ovarian cancer

Pat experienced symptoms for over two years before being diagnosed

Val's cancer experience helped deepen her faith

The Support Line provided Sue with the comfort she had been seeking

Shelley and her daughter

Shelley's story

Shelley was most worried about the implications for her daughter

Chay learnt not to take her health for granted at a young age

Jessica's story

Jessica was determined to find out what was causing her symptoms

I could see that my tummy was getting larger

I kept putting my symptoms down to other things

I try to live a normal life – just at a slightly slower pace.

Nicola had never even considered ovarian cancer as a possibility

Peter and Jean's story

Peter's wife Jean died from ovarian cancer in 2016

Sandra was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012

Sandra found the support she needed at our Being Together days

I'm passionate about working with people with ovarian cancer

Seema is an ovarian cancer campaigner

Liz is researching more effective diagnostic tests

The biggest change is discovering that I’m stronger than I thought

Ivana was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was 35

Jean wants to give hope to other women dealing with a recurrence

Jo had no idea that women in their 30s could get ovarian cancer

Life is so precious, I’m certainly not going to spend it looking back

Agnes found the support from others with ovarian cancer invaluable

Darren and Linda's story

Darren tells his mum Linda's story from her diagnosis to her last days

Sometimes the best support can be a simple as a cup of tea and a chat

Peggy had ups as well as downs when she was diagnosed

Seren was just 19 when she was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer

Amanda is dedicated to raising awareness of ovarian cancer

Ann thought she was 'just tired', but it was much more serious

Fiona is determined not to take a single second for granted

Ingrid was much more likely to carry the BRCA gene mutation

A passing remark and a persistent doctor may have saved Nicoli's life

Carol wants to show other women that there's life after cancer...

Emily's dispelling the myth that young people can't get ovarian cancer

After her first operation, Alison thought the cancer would be gone

Gabrielle's story

Gabrielle explains why she has stopped sweating the small stuff

Christine's story

Christine believes that early diagnosis shouldn't come down to luck

Most of the Mary's relatives on her father's side have had cancer

Thanks to her partner's insistence Ali was diagnosed early

Elisabeth's Story

Elisabeth's ovarian cancer story started with a letter

Andrea with her daughter

Shani’s story

An expert Q& A session had a dramatic impact on Shani's life

Diane wants to raise awareness in the Jewish community

Breast cancer followed by ovarian cancer was more than just bad luck

Alison with a friend

I’m more impulsive since my diagnosis; I try to live in the moment.

Lynne is learning to accept that she is not defined by cancer

Annette's story

Annette wants to raise awareness to increase early diagnosis

Maureen's story

Maureen was diagnosed with clear cell ovarian cancer in 2009

Dorothy's story

I wish I'd known then what I know now.

It's been 10 years since Clare was diagnosed with ovarian cancer

Natalie's story

Natalie was told she was too young to have ovarian cancer

After losing her mother, Sarah was determined to raise awareness

"I ignored what my body was trying to tell me, and I never will again"

'I'm so lucky my ovarian cancer was discovered early'

'I'm so lucky my ovarian cancer was discovered early'

Diane was diagnosed in 2012, after many delays

Laura was diagnosed after seeing the symptoms on Facebook

Laura was diagnosed after seeing the symptoms on Facebook

Jules was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 12 weeks after giving birth

11 years ago Jane was given six months to live

Kristine's story

Kristine was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013

Reminiscences of Chris and I dealing with ovarian cancer

Reminiscences of Chris and I dealing with ovarian cancer

Irene talks about her ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment

Irene talks about her ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment

Wendy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2002

Jan was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her sixties

Samixa is taking steps at The Ovarian Cancer Walk with her husband

Nicola is talking part in The Ovarian Cancer Walk with her mum Suzanne

Suzanne's story

Suzanne is doing The Ovarian Cancer Walk with her daughter Nicola

At 37 years old, Esther didn’t think ovarian cancer was something she had to worry about…

Esther was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was 37

Nicole lost her mum to ovarian cancer

Kath lost her daughter to ovarian cancer in 2008

Christine's story

Christine was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1990

Chloe was just 16 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer

“Suddenly the reality wasn’t about my fertility but about my life”

Lisa was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was 21

Gillian had breast cancer, then ovarian cancer seven years later

Gillian's story

Gillian had breast cancer, then ovarian cancer seven years later

Amanda tells us about her experience of her ovarian cancer diagnosis

Tatum's mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer

Tatum's mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer

Shani was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal ovarian cancer

Dr Hilary Morrison took early retirement after 30 years as a GP following her diagnosis with ovarian cancer

Hilary took early retirement as a GP following her diagnosis

Four years after diagnosis Ursula is walking 3,300 miles around Wales

Alison is an oncology nurse who was diagnosed when she was 40

David lost his wife to ovarian cancer, and now campaigns for awareness

Sue talks about her ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment

Andy was inspired by his mum to take on a difficult running challenge

Pam lost her partner and was inspired to join our Hadrian's Wall trek

Marian had an early diagnosis and was treated very quickly

It was a shock when Kerry's daughter, Gemma, was diagnosed

Lorraine's story

Lorraine looks back at her diagnosis and treatment

Margaret's story

Our volunteer Margaret lost family and a friend to ovarian cancer

Gill's found support fundraising with family and friends

Lynn's experience has made her raise symptoms awareness

Moira-story-diagnosis

Moira’s story

Moira shares her story about being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Joanna-Barker-chairman-founder-Target Ovarian Cancer

Joanna Barker's story

Founder and chairman of Target Ovarian Cancer