Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most lethal cancers in the Western world. It often presents at an advanced stage and the role of screening is not yet clear. In this article, we review the risk factors predisposing to ovarian carcinoma, the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Radical surgery combined with platinum-based chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment. Despite developments in chemotherapy, including the use of taxanes, and increasing use of radical surgery, there have been only modest improvements in long-term survival. Further research is necessary to establish the most effective combination of chemotherapy and the role of radical surgery.
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