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What you need to know about ovarian cancer

Out of the 7 types of gynaecological cancers, ovarian cancer is the deadliest despite being critically underfunded.

In Australia, more than 1,700 people are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. It is the 6th most common cause of cancer-related death for people with ovaries, with a 49% 5-year survival rate across all stages of the disease. In comparison, there is a 92% 5-year survival rate for breast cancer.

Early diagnoses of ovarian cancer are difficult due to the vagueness of symptoms. 70% of cases are diagnosed in the advanced stages of ovarian cancer when prognosis is low.

Unfortunately, there is currently no screening program or early detection test for ovarian cancer unlike cervical cancer, another type of gynaecological cancer.

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What is gynaecological cancer?

Gynaecological cancer is an overarching term that encompasses seven types of cancers that develop from abnormal cells in the ovaries, uterus, endometrium, cervix, vagina, vulva, fallopian tubes, or placenta (a pregnancy-related cancer). In some cases, these cancers can metastasise to other areas of the reproductive system and genitalia, or other parts of the body.

Gynaecological cancer can affect women, trans men, nonbinary, and intersex people.

What are the risk factors for gynaecological cancer?

In Australia, the risk of being diagnosed with gynaecological cancer by the age of 85 is approximately 1 in 23.

Some risk factors associated with the risk of developing gynaecological cancer include:

Family history of cancer
Reproductive history
Inherited mutated genes such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes
Medical conditions such as endometriosis or a HPV infection
Exposure to high levels of hormones produced by the body or from medication
Modifiable lifestyle factors such as tobacco smoking and excess body weight

What are the common symptoms of gynaecological cancer?

The symptoms of gynaecological cancer will depend on the tumour’s location, size and how fast it is spreading.

Some common symptoms of gynaecological cancer include:

Feeling full too quickly, loss of appetite, bloating, back pain or abdominal pain, common for ovarian cancer
Abnormal vaginal bleeding (e.g., after menopause, in between periods or after sex) and unusual discharge, which are common for all gynaecolgoical cancers except vulvar cancer
Pelvic pain or pressure, as seen in ovarian, uterine and vaginal cancers
Changes in bladder or bowel habits, which is common for ovarian and vaginal cancers
Itching, burning or soreness of the vulva and changes in the appearance of the vulva such as lumps, sores or warts, which are only found in vulvar cancer
Painful sex
Unexplained weight loss or gain
Unexplained fatigue

It is important to note that each gynaecological cancer type will present with a different combination of symptoms and may be associated with different risk factors. Because a number of these symptoms can overlap with other medical conditions, it is important to see your GP, especially when you have one or more risk factors.

How is gynaecological cancer diagnosed?

Gynaecological cancer can be diagnosed using a number of tests, including:

a pelvic examination
a pap smear
blood tests
a biopsy
imaging tests

Cervical cancer, in particular, is strongly associated with HPV infection, which rarely has symptoms and is known to cause more than 95% cases of cervical cancer. This is why it is so important to participate in the National Cervical Screening Program (the only screening available for gynaecological cancers), which tests for HPV infection, if you have a cervix and are aged between 25-74.

What is the prognosis for gynaecological cancer?

Currently, people diagnosed with gynaecological cancer have a 71% chance of surviving for at least five years compared to their counterparts in the Australian population.

Unfortunately, gynaecological cancer is among one of the least funded cancer types in Australian cancer research.