Ovarian cancer: the silent killer with the lowest survival rate

Projections indicate a substantial increase of nearly 55 percent in ovarian cancer diagnoses worldwide over the next twenty years, as reported by a global coalition. The coalition highlights the urgent need to redouble efforts to address the poor outcomes associated with this disease.

According to the Global Ovarian Cancer Coalition, global survival rates for ovarian cancer range between 30 and 50 percent. This coalition, made up of various patient organizations, highlights the urgency of improving diagnosis and treatment.

Ovarian cancer currently has the lowest survival rates among female cancers. In contrast, the ten-year survival rate for breast cancer has almost doubled over the past decade, to 78 percent. However, progress in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer is limited.

The increasing incidence of ovarian cancer diagnoses worldwide is mainly attributed to the aging population, with the disease mainly affecting postmenopausal women aged over 50 years. In developing countries, many women succumb to infectious diseases before reaching this age.

Factors such as rapid population growth and urbanization contribute to the increase in ovarian cancer diagnoses. Although the shift from rural to urban areas is identified as a factor, its exact influence remains unclear.

Additionally, ovarian cancer rates are expected to increase by 15 percent over the next two decades. However, the diagnosis rate has slowed somewhat, in part because of a significant number of women who used oral contraceptives in previous years, which are known to offer some protection.

These findings come from the coalition’s comprehensive Every Woman 2018 study, which includes an analysis of global ovarian cancer data, interviews with women and healthcare professionals from various countries, and a survey involving more than 1,000 women in 39 countries.

Scientists believe there is a persistent gap between ovarian cancer and other cancers that have seen significant progress in recent years, such as breast cancer. However, there is an urgent need for a coordinated global approach to solving this problem.