Trends and outcomes for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia.
BACKGROUND
Cancer of the ovary is the sixth most common cancer in women and the leading cause of death from a gynaecological malignancy. Early disease is asymptomatic and often results in a late diagnosis with approximately two-thirds of all cases presenting at an advanced stage.


OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of ovarian cancer trends and disease management, and the implications of these for general practice.


CONCLUSIONS
There has been little change in the incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer in the past two decades, despite an increase in the proportion of women receiving surgical treatment to manage the disease. The aetiology of ovarian cancer remains obscure. There is an urgent need for new techniques to be developed that will allow diagnosis to occur at an early stage in the disease process if real improvements in morbidity and mortality outcomes are to be achieved. The general practitioner has an important role in the initial diagnosis of ovarian cancer by assessing female patients' risk of the disease and by making the appropriate referral to a gynaecological oncologist.
Laurvick
Crystal L
CL
Centre for Health Services Research, School of Population Health, University of Western Australia. claurvic@dph.uwa.edu.au
Semmens
James B
JB
D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011379:Prognosis
D018394:CA-125 Antigen