A prospective study of ovarian sex cord–stromal tumours in children and adolescents began enrolling participants in 2005.

Prognosis and treatment is the same as for the most common type of ovarian cancer, which is epithelial ovarian cancer.

The median survival of primary peritoneal carcinomas is usually shorter by 2–6 months time when compared with serous ovarian cancer. Studies show median survival varies between 11.3–17.8 months. One study reported 19-40 month median survival (95% CI) with a 5-year survival of 26.5%.

Elevated albumin levels have been associated with a more favorable prognosis.

10-year survival rates for mucinous tumors is excellent in the absence of invasion.

In the case of borderline tumors confined to the ovary and malignant tumors without invasion, the survival rates are 90% or greater. In invasive mucinous cystadenocarcinomas, the survival is approximately 30%

Industrialized nations, with the exception of Japan, have high rates of epithelial ovarian cancer, which may be due to diet in those countries. Caucasian are at a 30–40% higher risk for ovarian cancer when compared to Black and Hispanic people, likely due to socioeconomic factors; white women tend to have fewer children and different rates of gynecologic surgeries that affect risk for ovarian cancer.

Cohort studies have found a correlation between dairy consumption and ovarian cancer, but case-control studies do not show this correlation. There is mixed evidence regarding the effect of red meat and processed meat in ovarian cancer.

Tentative evidence suggests that talc, pesticides, and herbicides increase the risk of ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society notes that as of now, no study has been able to accurately link any single chemical in the environment, or in the human diet, directly to mutations that cause ovarian cancer.

Variants with edema can be associated with Meigs' syndrome. They may be a part of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (Gorlin syndrome).

Some therapies for other forms of cancer increase the lifetime risk of endometrial cancer, which is a baseline 2–3%. Tamoxifen, a drug used to treat estrogen-positive breast cancers, has been associated with endometrial cancer in approximately 0.1% of users, particularly older women, but the benefits for survival from tamoxifen generally outweigh the risk of endometrial cancer. A one to two-year course of tamoxifen approximately doubles the risk of endometrial cancer, and a five-year course of therapy quadruples that risk. Raloxifene, a similar drug, did not raise the risk of endometrial cancer. Previously having ovarian cancer is a risk factor for endometrial cancer, as is having had previous radiotherapy to the pelvis. Specifically, ovarian granulosa cell tumors and thecomas are tumors associated with endometrial cancer.

Low immune function has also been implicated in endometrial cancer. High blood pressure is also a risk factor, but this may be because of its association with obesity. Sitting regularly for prolonged periods is associated with higher mortality from endometrial cancer. The risk is not negated by regular exercise, though it is lowered.

Alcohol consumption does not appear to be related to ovarian cancer. Other factors that have been investigated, such as smoking, low levels of vitamin D in the blood, presence of inclusion ovarian cysts, and infection with human papilloma virus (the cause of some cases of cervical cancer), have been disproven as risk factors for ovarian cancer. The carcinogenicity of perineal talc is controversial, because it can act as an irritant if it travels through the reproductive tract to the ovaries. Case-control studies have shown that use of perineal talc does increase the risk of ovarian cancer, but using talc more often does not create a greater risk. Use of talc elsewhere on the body is unrelated to ovarian cancer. Sitting regularly for prolonged periods is associated with higher mortality from epithelial ovarian cancer. The risk is not negated by regular exercise, though it is lowered.

Increased age (up to the 70s) is a risk factor for epithelial ovarian cancer because more mutations in cells can accumulate and eventually cause cancer. Those over 80 are at slightly lower risk.

Smoking tobacco is associated with a higher risk of mucinous ovarian cancer; after smoking cessation, the risk eventually returns to normal.A diet high in animal fats may be associated with ovarian cancer, but the connection is unclear. Diet seems to play a very small role, if any, in ovarian cancer risk.

Higher levels of C-reactive protein are associated with a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.

A cystic nephroma, also known as multilocular cystic nephroma, mixed epithelial stromal tumour (MEST) and renal epithelial stromal tumour (REST), is a type of rare benign kidney tumour.

Smoking and the use of progestin are both protective against endometrial cancer. Smoking provides protection by altering the metabolism of estrogen and promoting weight loss and early menopause. This protective effect lasts long after smoking is stopped. Progestin is present in the combined oral contraceptive pill and the hormonal intrauterine device (IUD). Combined oral contraceptives reduce risk more the longer they are taken: by 56% after four years, 67% after eight years, and 72% after twelve years. This risk reduction continues for at least fifteen years after contraceptive use has been stopped. Obese women may need higher doses of progestin to be protected. Having had more than five infants (grand multiparity) is also a protective factor, and having at least one child reduces the risk by 35%. Breastfeeding for more than 18 months reduces risk by 23%. Increased physical activity reduces an individual's risk by 38–46%. There is preliminary evidence that consumption of soy is protective.

Thecomas or theca cell tumors are benign ovarian neoplasms composed only of theca cells. Histogenetically they are classified as sex cord-stromal tumours.

They are typically estrogen-producing and they occur in older women (mean age 59; 84% after menopause). (They can, however, appear before menopause.)

60% of patients present with abnormal uterine bleeding, and 20% have endometrial carcinoma.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the ovary, abbreviated TCC of the ovary, is a rare type of ovarian cancer that has an appearance similar to urothelial carcinoma (also known as transitional cell carcinoma).

The exact cause of Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor is not known.

Research studies seem to indicate that certain genetic mutations (in the DICER1 gene) may play a role in many cases.

Serous tumours are part of the surface epithelial-stromal tumour group of ovarian neoplasms, which derive from Mullerian epithelium.

They are common neoplasms with a strong tendency to bilaterality, and they account for 50% of all ovarian tumours.

Sixty percent are benign (cystadenoma), 10% are borderline and 30% are malignant (cystadenocarcinoma).

Embryonal carcinoma is a relatively uncommon type of germ cell tumour that occurs in the ovaries and testes.

Although the precise causes are not known, a link with certain variants of BRCA1/2 has been described. Furthermore, women with BRCA1/2 mutation have a 5% risk of developing primary peritoneal cancer even after prophylactic oophorectomy.

Primary peritoneal carcinoma shows similar rates of tumor suppressor gene dysfunction (p53, BRCA, WT1) as ovarian cancer and can also show an increased expression of HER-2/neu.

An association with vascular endothelial growth factor has been observed.

Papillary serous cystadenocarcinomas are the most common form of malignant ovarian cancer making up 26 percent of ovarian tumours in women aged over 20 in the United States.

As with most ovarian tumours, due to the lack of early signs of disease these tumours can be large when discovered and have often metastasized, often by spreading along the peritoneum.

A dysgerminoma is a type of germ cell tumor; it usually is malignant and usually occurs in the ovary.

A tumor of the identical histology but not occurring in the ovary may be described by an alternate name: seminoma in the testis or germinoma in the central nervous system or other parts of the body.

Dysgerminoma accounts for less than 1% of ovarian tumors overall. Dysgerminoma usually occurs in adolescence and early adult life; about 5% occur in pre-pubertal children. Dysgerminoma is extremely rare after age 50. Dysgerminoma occurs in both ovaries in 10% of patients and, in a further 10%, there is microscopic tumor in the other ovary.

Abnormal gonads (due to gonadal dysgenesis and androgen insensitivity syndrome) have a high risk of developing a dysgerminoma. Most dysgerminomas are associated with elevated serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), which is sometimes used as a tumor marker.

A retrospective study of 83 women with sex cord–stromal tumours (73 with granulosa cell tumour and 10 with Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour), all diagnosed between 1975 and 2003, reported that survival was higher with age under 50, smaller tumour size, and absence of residual disease. The study found no effect of chemotherapy. A retrospective study of 67 children and adolescents reported some benefit of cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

These tumours do better than other types of epithelial tumours of the ovary.

Tubal cancer is thought to be a relatively rare primary cancer among women accounting for 1 to 2 percent of all gynecologic cancers, In the USA tubal cancer had an incidence of 0.41 per 100,000 women from 1998 to 2003. Demographic distribution is similar to ovarian cancer, and the highest incidence was found in white, non-Hispanic women and women aged 60–79. However, recent evidence suggests tubal cancer to be much more frequent .

Evidence is accumulating that individuals with mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 are at higher risks for the development of PFTC.

Sertoli–Leydig cell tumour is a group of tumours composed of variable proportions of Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, and in the case of intermediate and poorly differentiated neoplasms, primitive gonadal stroma and sometimes heterologous elements.

Sertoli–Leydig cell tumour is a member of the sex cord-stromal tumour group of ovarian and testicular cancers. The tumour is rare, comprising less than 1% of testicular tumours. While the tumour can occur at any age, it occurs most often in young adults. Recent studies have shown that many cases of Sertoli–Leydig cell tumor of the ovary are caused by germline mutations in the "DICER1" gene. These hereditary cases tend to be younger, often have a multinodular thyroid goiter and there may be a personal or family history of other rare tumors such as pleuropulmonary blastoma, Wilms tumor and cervical rhabdomyosarcoma.

Closely related terms include arrhenoblastoma and androblastoma. Both terms are classified under Sertoli–Leydig cell tumour in MeSH.

Usually the lesion is surgically removed. Primarily, there is concern that the lesion identified in a patient could be cancerous, but there is also the risk of torsion, and possibly the development of symptoms. A stable lesion, however, could be clinically followed.

In the ovary, embryonal carcinoma is quite rare, amounting to approximately three percent of ovarian germ cell tumours. The median age at diagnosis is 15 years. Symptoms and signs are varied, and may include sexual precocity and abnormal (increased, reduced or absent) uterine bleeding.

There may be elevations in serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels but it would be in association with other tumors, (e.g. yolk sac tumor) because they themselves do not produce the serum markers. At surgery, there is extension of the tumour beyond the ovary in forty percent of cases. They are generally large, unilateral tumours, with a median diameter of 17 centimetres. Long-term survival has improved following the advent of chemotherapy. The gross and histologic features of this tumour are similar to that seen in the testis.

Fertility subsequent to treatment of surface epithelial-stromal tumors depends mainly on histology and initial

staging to separate it into early borderline (or more benign) versus advanced stages of borderline (or more malignant). Conservative management (without bilateral oophorectomy) of early stage borderline tumors have been estimated to result in chance of over 50% of spontaneous pregnancy with a low risk of lethal recurrence of the tumor (0.5%). On the other hand, in cases of conservative treatment in advanced stage borderline tumors, spontaneous pregnancy rates have been estimated to be 35% and the risk of lethal recurrence 2%.

A 2006 review stated that RS often leads renal cancer between ages 30-50. Renal cancer kills about 1 in 3 people, but 5-year survival rates improved between 1974-1976 and 1995-2000, from 52% to 64%.