Ovarian Cancer Facts

Ovarian Cancer Facts

All females are at risk, Ovarian Cancer

DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE.

Ovarian cancer kills more women than all the Gynecologic Oncology combined.

Ovarian cancer occurs in 1 in 57 women, up from 1 in 70 several years ago.

More than 16,000 women will die this year alone and more than 25,500 will be diagnosed.

• Ovarian cancer is treatable when caught early; however the vast majority of cases are not diagnosed until too late.
  
• When ovarian cancer is caught before it has spread outside the ovaries, 90+% will survive 5 years.
  
• Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can be inherited, and passed on, by men just as easily as women.
  
• Only 24% of ovarian cancer is caught early.
  
• When diagnosed after the disease has spread the chance of five-year survival drops to less than 25%.
  
• There are almost 40 different types of ovarian cancer. However, nine out of 10 ovarian cancer patients have a common epithelial tumor, which begins in the surface tissue of the ovary (epithelium).
• Use of fertility drugs. Some fertility drugs under certain circumstances increase the odds of ovarian cancer.
  
• One of the reasons ovarian cancer is so deadly is that it frequently doesn't have any symptoms in its earlier stages.
  
• Ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose
  
  To date there is no reliable screening test for the early detection of ovarian cancer.
  
• The Pap smear DOES NOT DETECT OVARIAN CANCER.

Symptoms are often vague and easily confused with other diseases. However, new studies indicate that ovarian cancer has recognizable symptoms, even early stage disease. Knowing those symptoms can help save women's lives.