ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER

  • Each year, between 2400-2600 women in Canada are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year and 1500-1600 of these women die, making it the fifth ranking cause of cancer deaths in Canada.
  • Sadly, a significant reason for this is that 80%-90% of women are diagnosed at advanced-stages of the disease, when even painstaking rounds of chemotherapy and radiation are not enough.
  • Even with chilling statistics like this, Ovarian cancer is not being promoted as one of Health Canada's most prominent cancers and therefore, a shortage in government funding and community awareness will persist - until WE, the community, TURN UP THE VOLUME on this "Whispering Disease"!
  • A pap smear does NOT detect ovarian cancer - it detects problems with a woman's cervix.

Ovarian Cancer in Canada

  • 2,300 new cases of ovarian cancer are found in women in Canada each year.
  • 1,600 Canadian women die each year of this disease, making it the fifth ranking cause of cancer deaths.
  • According to 1999 figures, 6 out of 10 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Canada are 50 to 79 years of age.

Ovarian Cancer affects about 1 in 70 Canadian women. Although the number of cases of this cancer is relatively low, its effect is enormous. Because ovarian cancer is usually detected only in its later stages, ovarian cancer is a particularly deadly disease.

It is not easy to diagnose ovarian cancer. The symptoms in the early stages may be vague. There may be several of them but they are likely to persist. Later, as the tumour enlarges, it presses against the bowels or other organs causing symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation, pain or swelling of the abdomen, nausea, gas, bloating, painful intercourse and leg or back pain.

*HOWEVER, it is important to remember that not everyone with these symptoms has ovarian cancer.

Statistics from the National Ovarian Cancer Survey: Perspectives of Canadian Women and Health Care Professionals (1999)

  • The average age when ovarian cancer is detected in women is 56.3 years.
  • Less than 1 out of 10 of the woman surveyed had no symptoms prior to diagnosis. In other words, more than 9 out of 10 women who were surveyed, had one or more symptoms before the ovarian cancer was detected.
  • More than 25% of the women sought help from a mental health professional. This may suggest that women's concerns were not being fully addressed and symptoms may have been mistakenly diagnosed.

Remember that the Pap test does not show if a woman has ovarian cancer. Researchers are working on a test that will detect if a woman has ovarian cancer. They are improving the transvaginal ultrasound and two blood tests that show whether tumours are present on the ovaries. The blood tests are called the CA125 and LPA. Women who have a higher chance of getting ovarian cancer, should ask their doctor to do a bimanual rectovaginal examination during their regular annual checkup.

Let’s fight this ‘whispering disease’ together!! Plan on attending the ‘Reliving Old Hollywood Gala, in support of ovarian cancer research’.