Our 24/7 cancer helpline provides information and answers for people dealing with cancer. We can connect you with trained cancer information specialists who will answer questions about a cancer diagnosis and provide guidance and a compassionate ear.
Chat live online
Select the Live Chat button at the bottom of the page
Our highly trained specialists are available 24/7 via phone and on weekdays can assist through video calls and online chat. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with essential services and resources at every step of their cancer journey. Ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer. Some of the topics we can assist with include:
- Referrals to patient-related programs or resources
- Donations, website, or event-related assistance
- Tobacco-related topics
- Volunteer opportunities
- Cancer Information
For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor.
-
- Surgery for Ovarian Cancer
- Radiation Therapy for Ovarian Cancer
- Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer
- Hormone Therapy for Ovarian Cancer
- Targeted Drug Therapy for Ovarian Cancer
- Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer
- Treatment of Invasive Epithelial Ovarian Cancers, by Stage
- Treatment for Epithelial Tumors of Low Malignant Potential
- Treatment for Germ Cell Tumors of the Ovary
- Treatment for Stromal Tumors of the Ovary, by Stage
- If You Have Ovarian Cancer
Survival Rates for Ovarian Cancer
Survival rates can give you an idea of what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed. They can’t tell you how long you will live, but they may help give you a better understanding of how likely it is that your treatment will be successful.
Keep in mind that survival rates are estimates and are often based on previous outcomes of large numbers of people who had a specific cancer, but they can’t predict what will happen in any particular person’s case. These statistics can be confusing and may lead you to have more questions. Ask your doctor how these numbers might apply to you.
What is a 5-year relative survival rate?
A relative survival rate compares people with the same type and stage of cancer to people in the overall population. For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific stage of ovarian cancer is 80%, it means that people who have that cancer are, on average, about 80% as likely as people who don’t have that cancer to live for at least 5 years after being diagnosed.
Where do these numbers come from?
The American Cancer Society relies on information from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, maintained by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), to provide survival statistics for different types of cancer.
The SEER database tracks 5-year relative survival rates for ovarian cancer in the United States, based on how far the cancer has spread. The SEER database, however, does not group cancers by AJCC or FIGO stages (stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, etc.). Instead, it groups cancers into localized, regional, and distant stages:
- Localized: There is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the ovaries.
- Regional: The cancer has spread outside the ovaries to nearby structures or lymph nodes.
- Distant: The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs.
5-year relative survival rates for ovarian (or fallopian tube) cancer
These numbers are based on people diagnosed with cancers of the ovary (or fallopian tube) between 2012 and 2018 These survival rates differ based on the type of ovarian cancer (invasive epithelial, stromal, or germ cell tumor).
Invasive epithelial ovarian cancer
SEER stage | 5-year relative survival rate |
Localized | 93% |
Regional | 75% |
Distant | 31% |
All SEER stages combined | 50% |
Ovarian stromal tumors
SEER* stage | 5-year relative survival rate |
Localized | 97% |
Regional | 86% |
Distant | 70% |
All SEER stages combined | 89% |
Germ cell tumors of the ovary
SEER stage | 5-year relative survival rate |
Localized | 97% |
Regional | 94% |
Distant | 71% |
All SEER stages combined | 92% |
Fallopian tube cancer
SEER stage | 5-year relative survival rate |
Localized | 94% |
Regional | 53% |
Distant | 44% |
All SEER stages combined | 55% |
*SEER = Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results
Understanding the numbers
- These numbers apply only to the stage of the cancer when it is first diagnosed. They do not apply later on if the cancer grows, spreads, or comes back after treatment.
- These numbers don’t take everything into account. Survival rates are grouped based on how far the cancer has spread. But other factors, such as your age and overall health, and how well the cancer responds to treatment, can also affect your outlook.
- People now being diagnosed with ovarian (or fallopian tube) cancer may have a better outlook than these numbers show. Treatments improve over time, and these numbers are based on people who were diagnosed and treated at least five years earlier.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics [Internet]. Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute. Accessed at https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/ on February 23, 2023.
Last Revised: March 1, 2023
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
American Cancer Society Emails
Sign up to stay up-to-date with news, valuable information, and ways to get involved with the American Cancer Society.