Early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is essential for the survival of ovarian cancer patients

ABC Online – New research shows more than half of the Australian women diagnosed with ovarian cancer today are unlikely to survive five years.

The report by the National Breast Cancer Centre (NBCC) and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare also shows more women are surviving ovarian cancer.

Researchers say early detection of the disease remains the biggest challenge.

The report says almost 1,500 new cases of the disease are projected to be diagnosed this year.

The research comes a month after a Senate committee called for the Commonwealth to fund a National Centre for Gynecological Cancers and the development of an early detection test for the disease.

Researchers say only 42 per cent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer today can expect to be living five years after the diagnosis, compared to 34 per cent of women diagnosed a decade ago.

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