Ovarian cancer

The main articles are:

• Cancer (cancer)
• Malignant diseases of the reproductive system

Ovarian cancer is a collective term. As a rule, one of three types of cancer is hidden under it - ovaries, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. These types of cancer are very similar, therefore, the generalizing term "ovarian cancer" is often used in relation to them.

Spread of the disease

2023

According to the results of 2023, ovarian cancer ranks tenth among the common cancers in Russian women. It is often detected at an advanced stage due to the lack of symptoms. Every year 13-14 thousand women in Russia learn about the presence of A.D. ^[1]

2018: 14,318 new cases in Russia, 7,616 women died

Ovarian cancer (OC) ranks 8th among cancers diagnosed in women around the world and 9th in Russia^[2]. In Russia, from 2008 to 2018, there was a clear trend towards an increase in the incidence of OC - the increase in incidence rates was 10.19%. The number of OC cases in 2018 reached 14,318 new cases, with an incidence of 18.9 cases per 100,000 female population.

Ovarian cancer accounts for more deaths than other gynecological malignancies, as in most cases the tumor is detected when the cancer has already spread beyond the ovaries. In 2018, 7,616 women died from OC, accounting for 34% of deaths from female genital malignancies and 5.5% of all malignancies in the female population.

Causes of the disease

As of 2025, only 10% of patients have this disease due to hereditary ^[3] of the ^[4] In this case, relatives could have cancer of the ovaries, uterus, breast or intestines, as well as ethnic origin from Ashkenazi Jews. In the rest of the patients, the tumor occurs spontaneously under the influence of external and internal causes.

Malignant diseases of the reproductive system (including breast ovarian cancer) can be genetically determined and associated with mutations in the BRCA1, BRCA2 and other genes that can be inherited. According to data available for November 2020, in ovarian cancer, mutations in BRCA1/2 genes are detected in 22-28% of cases. Read more here.

One of the main risk factors for ovarian cancer is the age over 50. The onset of the disease is also affected by smoking, overweight, endometriosis, no pregnancies, frequent use of fertility drugs, and some hormonal factors - such as early puberty or late menopause.

However, the birth of children under the age of 35 and breastfeeding can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

Symptoms

At the beginning, ovarian cancer is almost asymptomatic, which is why it is often found already at the stage of a common process. The condition can cause abdominal or pelvic discomfort, bloating, decreased appetite, severe fatigue, nausea, persistent fatigue, menstrual disturbance and pain during intercourseCancer ^[5] If you experience at least one of these symptoms, be sure to contact your doctor.

Diagnostics

Reducing your risk of ovarian cancer can also lead to a healthy lifestyle and regular preventive check-ups with your GP and gynecologist, even if you're not worried about anything.

2021: Launch of online test to detect breast and ovarian cancer risk

On September 8, 2021, the biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced that, together with the service of online consultations of doctors and medical support of patients, RT-Doctis, has developed an online test with which women can independently check for risk factors for breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC). According to the test results, women who are at risk can receive telemedicine advice and, if necessary, be examined by a specialized specialist. Read more here.

Ovarian cancer treatment

Main article: Treatment of ovarian cancer

World Ovarian Cancer Day

World Ovarian Cancer Day is celebrated annually on May 8. On this day, the medical community reminds people of the symptoms of the disease, how to diagnose and treat it.

Notes