
Breaking the silence on ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer has historically been called a “silent killer” with one in every 100 women with the disease dying from it. Why? Because it can spread before the condition is detected.1,2 The problem is the symptoms are common to other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, menopause or a woman’s period.
Learn more about ovarian cancer to break the silence.
Key facts about ovarian cancer

When it comes to diagnosing ovarian cancer, time is vital. Know the symptoms and risk factors and act early.
Key symptoms of ovarian cancer5
Other symptoms
- Urgent need to urinate
- Pain during sex
- Upset stomach
- Menstrual changes
- Back pain
- Weight loss
Most common risk factors for ovarian cancer

Diagnosing ovarian cancer
Today, doctors may be able to diagnose ovarian cancer with greater certainty by combining advanced blood testing techniques, which help to better identify women at risk and pinpoint those women who need to undergo further investigation.1,2
Treating ovarian cancer
Until very recently, treatment options were limited to surgery and chemotherapy. However, recent scientific breakthroughs mean newly diagnosed women or those with recurrent disease can now be treated with targeted therapies as well.

References
- 1. GLOBOCAN. http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_population.aspx. Last accessed November 2016.
- 2. American Cancer Society. Ovarian Cancer. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; 2014.
- 3. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2016. CA Cancer J Clin. 2016;66:7-30.
- 4. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovariancancer/detailedguide/ovarian-cancer-survival-rates. Last accessed November 2016.
- 5. Goff B. Symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2012;55(1):36-42.
- 6. Collaborative Group on Epidemiological Studies of Ovarian Cancer, Beral V, Doll R, Hermon C, Peto R, Reeves G. Ovarian cancer and oral contraceptives: collaborative reanalysis of data from 45 epidemiological studies including 23,257 women with ovarian cancer and 87,303 controls. Lancet. 2008;371(9609):303-314.
- 7. Ramus SJ, Gayther SA. The contribution of BRCA1 and BRCA2 to ovarian cancer. Mol Oncol. 2009;3:138-150.
- 8. Risch HA, McLaughlin JR, Cole DE, et al. Prevalence and penetrance of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in a population series of 649 women with ovarian cancer. Am J Hum Genet. 2001;68(3):700-710.
- 9. Ford D, Easton DF, Bishop DT, Narod SA, Goldgar DE. Risks of cancer in BRCA1-mutation carriers. Breast Cancer Linkage Consortium. Lancet. 1994;343(8899):692-695.
- 10. Finch A, Beiner M, Lubinski J, et al. Salpingo-oophorectomy and the risk of ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancers in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutation. JAMA. 2006;296(2):185-192.
- 11. Aarnio M, Mecklin JP, Aaltonen LA, Nyström-Lahti M, Järvinen HJ. Life-time risk of different cancers in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndrome. Int J Cancer. 1995;64(6):430-433.
- 12. Lacey JV, Mink PJ, Lubin JH, et al. Menopausal hormone replacement therapy and risk of ovarian cancer. JAMA. 2002;288(3):334-341.