Ovarian Cancer Awareness

In the Community

Facts about Ovarian Cancer

• 80% of cases occur in women over 50.• 5th most common cancer in women• Almost 7000 cases in the UK every year • 19 women every day are diagnosed. • Life time risk is 1 in 50• Incidence of Ovarian Cancer has

increased by 50% since 1970s.

Facts – why the campaign?

• Awareness is low and cases are picked up later• Only 3% of women know the symptoms• Symptoms similar to IBS therefore GPs don’t

always pick it up. • 50% women confuse Ovarian with Cervical –

think screening detects ovarian. • Ovarian is the most fatal gynaecological cancer

(4x more than cervical cancer)• 39% cases present as emergencySource: Target Ovarian Cancer

Facts: why the campaign?

• The average five-year survival rate from ovarian cancer decreases with age– 52% for women 50-59 – 39% for women 60-69– 28% for women 70–79– 15% for women 80-99

Survival can be up to 70% for women diagnosed with earlier ovarian cancer compared to 5% of women who’s cancer is diagnosed with the most advanced stage of the disease.

:

Risk Factors

• Age, • Family History / Gene Mutation • Gender,

• Lifestyle• Reproductive History• Medical History

Evidence base is not as strong compared toBreast.

Ovarian cancer and age

Reproductive history

• A Women’s Risk May Be Increased If• She has never given birth • Had her first child after 30 • Has never taken the oral contraceptive pill • She started menstruating at a young age (before

12) • She experienced menopause at a late age (after

50) • She did not breast feed• HRT

Lifestyle Obesity (BMI 30+) - evidence of increased risk

linked to especially in pre-menopausal women.

Low physical activity levels - mixed research results - evidence for and against

Smoking - estimated 2% ovarian cancers caused by smoking

Talcum powder - long term daily use

Medical History

• Previous Cancer - evidence for link with breast (previous diagnosis or family history)

• Endometriosis • Ovarian Cysts

Reduced risk:

Hysterectomy , tubal sterilisation

Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer occurs when abnormal cells within the ovary start to divide uncontrollably. This growth forms a mass of abnormal cells within the ovary called a tumour. Tumours can be benign or cancerous.  Benign ovarian tumours do not spread to other parts of the body while cancerous  ovarian tumours can spread to nearby structures such as the uterus and fallopian tubes and if left unchecked can spread to other parts of the body such as the bowel, liver and lungs.

Source: Target Cancer Awareness

Symptoms

• Feeling bloated or having a swollen tummy on most days/all the time

• Feeling full or having difficulty eating (on most days • Persistent tummy or pelvic pain • Urinary symptoms (needing to wee more urgently or

more often than usual)

• Occasionally there are other symptoms: • Changes in bowel habit• Extreme fatigue – feeling very tired• Unexplained weight loss

Symptoms

The key features of the symptoms of ovarian cancer are:

• Their persistency – they don’t go away• Their frequency -  they occur on most days• They are new – they started in the last 12

months• They are unusual – they are not normal for you

• The symptoms are similar to IBS  - but ovarian cancer symptoms are distinctive because they are frequent and persistent  whilst  IBS symptoms come and go.

Tests

• If a woman is experiencing the most common symptoms more than 12 times a month she should see her GP.

• CA125 blood test • Ultra Sound Scan • 2 week wait referral

Barriers to Taking Action

• Low experience of symptoms• Knowledge• Fear• Blame stigma (being over weight)• Cultural • GP / hospital service• Fatalistic view underlies all these.

Reasons for not visiting GP – Level of agreement with statements

A5 Ovarian cancer leaflet

NTCN will be printing 40,000 and distributing to GP Practices, Pharmacies, Libraries, Leisure centres, Hairdressers, Weightwatchers and Slimming World.

Key Messages

• It is not the silent killer – there are several symptoms that should not be ignored.

• FEELING BLOATED MOST DAYS / 3 WEEKS

• Women should not delay seeing their GP• And should not be embarrassed, • Ovarian cancer is not detected through cervical

screening.• Likelihood of developing ovarian cancer increases

with age