Germ cell tumours of the ovary
This section is for teenagers and young adults.
Germ cell tumours of the ovary are the most common type of ovarian cancer in teenagers and young women. If you have a different type of
ovarian cancer and want to
know more you can talk to us.
You can see more info for young people about:
If you're looking for information about ovarian cancer in women of all ages, please see our general ovarian cancer section.
Germ cell tumours are a rare type of ovarian cancer. They start in the egg-producing cells of the ovary in girls and young women (aged 10-30). Tumours are often only in one ovary. They can usually be successfully treated, even if they’ve spread to other places in the body.
Germ cell tumours can also develop in teenage boys’ or men’s testicles, or rarely in other parts of the body. This page is about germ cell tumours that start in the ovary, but we do have more information about testicular cancer.
We don’t know what causes germ cell tumours. Research into possible causes is going on all the time.
Germ cells are a normal part of the ovary, but something causes them to change. This makes them grow too quickly and make a tumour.
Signs and symptoms
- pain or swelling in your tummy (abdomen)
- a feeling of fullness or bloating in your tummy
- need to wee more often
- irregular periods.
Remember – these symptoms happen for lots of reasons other than cancer. But if you have any of them it’s important to get checked out by your doctor.
If you're worried about ovarian cancer
If you think you might have some of these symptoms you should go straight to your GP. They'll be able to talk to you about your symptoms. If they think they could be because of cancer, they can do tests to find out more.