Ovarian Cancer: the facts
A deadly disease
- Ovarian cancer is the most deadly of gynecological cancers. Over 20,000 women are diagnosed each year with ovarian cancer and more than 15,000 women die.
A silent killer
- Ovarian cancer is rarely diagnosed in its early stages because its symptoms (including abdominal bloating, difficulty eating and urinary symptoms) are often vague and non-specific.
- 75-80% of women are diagnosed in later stages when the cancer has spread beyond the ovaries and when the chance of survival is poor (fewer than 20% of those diagnosed at stage IV survive for five years).
No test for early diagnosis
- At present, no accurate, reliable test exists to diagnose ovarian cancer at an early stage.
- With early diagnosis and treatment, the 5-year survival rate increases to about 94%.