Ovarian cancer is caused by malignant, or cancerous, cells that develop on the ovaries. Common risk factors include family history of ovarian cancer, age, infertility, hormone treatments and obesity. Early detection is critical for best prognosis and many medical treatments are available.

Ovarian cancer accounts for only about 3 percent of cancers in women but remains a major health concern due to its high mortality rate. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2013, about 22,240 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and an estimated 14,230 women will die of the disease.

Ovarian cancer, which begins in the ovary, is not as common as some other forms of cancer in women or men.

At the time of diagnosis and first treatment, ovarian cancers are assigned to a stage based upon tumor size, the involvement of lymph nodes and the spread to body parts beyond the lymph nodes.

Most people have experienced bloating and backaches--either separately, or simultaneously--at some point in their lives. They are fairly common symptoms that usually result from a variety of benign causes.

The National Cancer Institute says that in 2014, doctors diagnosed 12,360 women with cervical cancer and 21,980 women with ovarian cancer. Cervical cancer is the third leading type of cancer in women, while ovarian cancer is the fifth leading type of cancer in women.