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Ovarian Cancer
What is Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer occurs when cells in the ovaries grow uncontrollably, spreading rapidly and damaging nearby healthy tissues.
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What are the symptoms?
Ovarian cancer symptoms are not usually noticeable at first. However, once the cancer develops, symptoms become more aggressive. Symptoms of ovarian cancer may include…
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Abdominal bloating or swelling
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Quickly feeling full when eating
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Weight loss
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Discomfort in the pelvic area
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Fatigue
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Back pain
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Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
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A frequent need to urinate
How is it diagnosed?
A conclusive confirmation of an ovarian cancer diagnosis can only be obtained through a tissue biopsy. If a doctor suspects you have ovarian cancer, he or she will remove the abnormal tumor and send the tissue to a lab to confirm the diagnosis.
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How is it treated?
For individuals diagnosed with stage I ovarian cancer, the recommended treatment may involve the removal of the cancerous tumor and affected organs, which could be sufficient. Biopsies may also be conducted during surgery to assess the potential spread to lymph nodes or surrounding tissues. High-risk stage I patients and those in stage II may be advised to undergo chemotherapy.
For those diagnosed with stage II, III, or stage IV ovarian cancer, surgery may be conducted before chemotherapy. This surgical procedure aims to eliminate the tumor, both ovaries, as well as affected organs and lymph nodes throughout the body.
After surgery, most patients will continue with chemotherapy treatments. In other cases, a patient will undergo several treatments of chemotherapy before surgery, which could allow for an easier and more successful procedure.
Data & Statistics
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Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women (accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system)
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A woman's risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 78
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Her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer is about 1 in 108
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Ovarian cancer survival rates are much lower than other cancers that affect women
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The relative five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 49.7% percent
Research
Compared to other gynecological malignancies, patients with ovarian cancer suffer from the highest mortality rates. In 2021, an estimated 21,410 patients in the United States will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 13,770 will succumb to the disease. By 2035, it is predicted that this number will rise by 67% to >250,000 patients.
Case studies
"Leanne was my sister. She died just eight days after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer."
Leanne didn’t know she had ovarian cancer until an emergency admission for suspected covid. A&E staff were concerned about the abdominal swelling they saw, and she was referred for a CT scan, which revealed a mass in her ovary, and confirmed a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
Leanne was sent into surgery to have the mass removed. Heartbreakingly, afterwards, her family was informed that the cancer had spread, and her disease was terminal. Leanne passed away four days later. Leanne’s sister states that neither her sister nor the general practitioner were aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, and that “knowing the symptoms can be the difference between living and dying”.