Ovarian cancer survival rates

Ovarian cancer usually is not diagnosed in its early stages because few, if any, symptoms are present. Laparotomy surgery is done to confirm the diagnosis, to provide initial treatment, and to stage the disease with biopsies of abdominal tissue, peritoneal fluid, and lymph nodes.

A 5-year survival rate means the percentage of people who are still alive 5 years or longer after their diagnosis. It is important to remember that these are only averages. Everyone's case is different, and these numbers do not necessarily show what will happen in your case.

Survival rates decrease as the stage and grade of cancer become more advanced and involve lymph nodes or other body organs.¹

Survival rates also depend on the type of ovarian cancer you have. There are three forms of ovarian cancer-epithelial, stromal, and germ cell. Epithelial cancer starts in the cells on the outside of the ovary and is by far the most common. The survival rates shown here are for epithelial ovarian cancer.

Epithelial ovarian cancer survival rates

Stage of cancer	5-year survival rate
I, IA, IB, IC	76% to 93%
II, IIA, IIB, IIC	60% to 74%
III, IIIA, IIIB, IIIC	23% to 41%
IV	5% to 11%

Citations

1. Brennan K, et al. (2007). Premalignant and malignant disorders of the ovaries and oviducts. In AH DeCherney et al., eds., Current Diagnosis and Treatment Obstetrics and Gynecology, 10th ed., pp. 971–884. New York: McGraw-Hill.