Every year, 5,200 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer In France. Less common than breast cancer, it is in 8e position of female cancers and affects approximately one woman in 70. It nevertheless dates back to the 4e rank in terms of death, in particular because it is diagnosed too late.
“Currently, two-thirds of cases are diagnosed late and one in seven women dies within two months of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer”indicates to DailyMail Dr. Sharon Tate, primary care development manager at the association Target Ovarian Cancer. According to her, better understand the symptoms of the disease can help in diagnosis, whereas no effective screening tool exists today.
What are the risk factors for ovarian cancer? Mutation of the BRCA gene (15 to 20% of cases of aggressive ovarian cancer), endometriosis or the use of vitro fertilization (IVF) would increase the risk of ovarian cancer. The risk is also more common in postmenopausal women. Certain external factors can also explain its arrival, in particular smoking or exposure to asbestos.
A “silent killer”
“40% of women mistakenly think that the Pap smear Cervical cancer also detects ovarian cancer”, notes Annwen Jones, general manager of the association. He there is currently no screeninghence the need to visit your gynecologist at least once a year.
Certain factors are nevertheless known to reduce the risk, in particular the prolonged use of oral contraception (contraceptive pill for example) and breast-feeding.
The first symptoms are mainly gastrointestinal and can be confused with other pathologies. “Ovarian cancer is often said to be a silent killer because it doesn’t have early symptoms when it does, they’re just very general.”, warns Dr. Ronny Drapkin, of the University of Pennsylvania. Here are the ones that should alert you.
