A national study by the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) and National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC) will provide the first national data about the treatment received by women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia.

NBOCC chief executive Dr Helen Zorbas said this study is the first of its kind to review the treatment actually received by over 1,000 women in Australia with ovarian cancer.

She said, “Surgery is the cornerstone of treatment for ovarian cancer and preliminary findings show that 83 percent of women with ovarian cancer underwent surgery, and more than 90 percent of women who were recommended chemotherapy received it.”

In over 90 percent of cases, a gynaecologic-oncologist was consulted at some stage, the study shows.

Despite improvements in survival rates in recent years, the prognosis for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer remains poor.

Dr Zorbas said, “On average, three women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every day in Australia, making it the ninth most common cancer for
Australian women.”

Only four out of 10 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will be alive five years after diagnosis.

According to Dr Zorbas “While the preliminary findings are encouraging, we need to explore and better understand the variations in treatment to ensure that women receive treatment in line with the evidence.”