title: [Hope for improvement of survival in ovarian cancer].
abstract: Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of death from a gynecologic cancer. Every year around 700 women contracts ovarian cancer in Sweden. The overall survival is among the highest in Europe, but still long term relative survival is only 46%. It is a long-held myth that ovarian cancer is a disease without symptoms. Almost 90% of women have symptoms, even in the early stages. Symptoms that should arise suspicion of ovarian cancer and initiate diagnostic work-up are continuous abdominal extension, early feeling of satiety, pelvic or abdominal pain, urinary urge and postmenopausal bleeding. Women's awareness of symptoms and willingness to seek medical advice and the organization of the health care system are important factors determining cancer survival. Ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous group of diseases with different tumor traits and prognosis. Personalized medicine and preventive measures recognizing recent knowledge about tumor biology will positively affect survival.
authors.affiliation: Lund University - Dept Cancer Epidemiology Lund, Sweden Lund University - Dept Cancer Epidemiology Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Högberg
authors.affiliation: Regionalt cancercentrum Stockholm-Gotland regionen - Stockholm, Sweden Regionalt cancercentrum Stockholm-Gotland regionen - Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bergfeldt
authors.affiliation: Lun University - Dept Obstet Gynecol Lund, Sweden Lun University - Dept Obstet Gynecol Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borgfeldt
authors.affiliation: Regionalt cancercentrum Västra sjukvårdsregionen - Göteborg, Sweden Regionalt cancercentrum Västra sjukvårdsregionen - Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.affiliation: Onkologiska kliniken - IKE, Linköping University Linköping, Sweden Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University - Department of Oncology Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Åvall Lundqvist
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate