Ovarian Cancer Treatments And Life Expectancy In The 21st Century

Ovarian cancer isn't even in the top five of most common female cancers worldwide — if you include non-melanoma skin cancer, it only, in fact, takes ninth place. Ovarian cancer rates have actually been decreasing steadily since 1992. Despite that, ovarian cancer is currently the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among females in the United States. Despite that, ovarian cancer continues to claim more lives than any other female-specific cancer. 

Historically, this has had had a lot to do with the fact that ovarian cancer is either asymptomatic in its early stages, or leads to such non-specific symptoms that women easily dismiss them as "nothing", coupled with a lack of screening efforts. Things have been changing, however.

Ovarian Cancer: Statistics Every Woman Should Be Familiar With

The NIH's National Cancer Institute reports, based on thorough research, that:

• Ovarian cancer rates have dropped drastically in the US since 1992, and have declined by an average of 3.3 percent per year over the time period between 2009 and 2018. Over the same time period, ovarian cancer death rates have also dropped, by an average of 2.3 percent a year. One study came to the conclusion that changes in the use of hormonal contraceptives and the fact that women are having fewer children now have a lot to do with this decline in incidence.
• Overall, the five year survival rate of all women diagnosed with ovarian cancer (in the US) is 49.1 percent.
• The earlier ovarian cancer can be diagnosed and treated, the higher the five year survival rate — localized tumors yield a five year survival rate of 92.6 percent, while the five year survival rate is 30.3 percent in cases where the cancer has spread to distant organs.

How Is Ovarian Cancer Treated?

Ovarian cancer treatment continues to rely on chemotherapy and surgery, and typically a combination of the two. Hormonal therapy has also been used as an adjuvant for years already. The ways in which these treatments are carried out, and the specific medications that are used, have undergone some radical changes, on the other hand, making treatment more effective. 

Just in September 2021, for instance, results of a clinical trial relying on the medications VS-6766 and defactinib in women with low-grade serous ovarian cancer were announced, with very positive results. That is, 46 percent of patients treated with this combination had significantly smaller tumors following the use of the new protocol. This is important news as this type of ovarian cancer, which typically strikes younger women in their 30s, had been difficult to treat. 

Previous scientific advances have already made the treatment of other types of ovarian cancer, notably primary epithelial ovarian cancer, significantly more successful. The intraperitoneal administration of chemotherapy — directly into the abdominal cavity, as opposed to through the veins and into the bloodstream — lead to better success rates and fewer side effects, for instance. Although both older and more recent research shows this technique to be far more effective than conventional methods, previous research also indicates that not all hospitals use it yet. (See: American doctors ignore treatment for ovarian cancer that actually works.)

What About Screening Tests for Ovarian Cancer?

Despite the fact that ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women, no routine screening tests have yet been implemented, as with, for instance, mammograms for breast cancer and PAP tests for cervical cancer. Some screening options are available, however, and they are:

• CA-125 — a biomarker for ovarian cancer. 
• A transvaginal ultrasound to evaluate the presence of ovarian cancer.

Women who have a family history of ovarian cancer, a personal history or breast or colon cancer, other risk factors for ovarian cancer (older age, not having given birth, obesity, and an Eastern European or Ashkenazi background, and among others) may inquire whether they could benefit from these screening methods, after which further diagnostic tests are performed where necessary. Endometriosis and ovarian cancer have also been found to be linked, so having this diagnosis should also cause you to ask your doctor about screening, while working night shifts may increase your risk of ovarian cancer too.

The most important thing every woman can do, however, is to pay close attention to any new symptoms — and to report them to her doctor when they do show up. Even if they have many other possible causes, it is best to get checked out! The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer include:

• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Pain, discomfort, or sensations of pressure in the pelvic area or lower abdomen
• Abdominal bloating
• Back pain
• Quickly feeling full, even after eating only very little