It's not clear what causes ovarian cancer, though doctors have identified factors that can increase the risk of the disease. In general, cancer begins when a cell develops errors (mutations) in its DNA.
The mutations tell the cell to grow and multiply quickly, creating a mass (tumor) of abnormal cells. The abnormal cells continue living when healthy cells would die. They can invade nearby tissues and break off from an initial tumor to spread elsewhere in the body (metastasize).
Types of ovarian cancer:
The type of cell where the cancer begins determines the type of ovarian cancer you have. Ovarian cancer types include:
Epithelial tumors: which begin in the thin layer of tissue that covers the outside of the ovaries. About 90 percent of ovarian cancers are epithelial tumors.
Stromal tumors: which begin in the ovarian tissue that contains hormone-producing cells. These tumors are usually diagnosed at an earlier stage than other ovarian tumors. About 7 percent of ovarian tumors are stromal. Germ cell tumors: which begin in the egg-producing cells. These rare ovarian cancers tend to occur in younger women.
Courtesy: Ocra Hope