Cancer is never a happy subject to contemplate. But despite the specter of it in all our lives, we now have the scientific tools to fight back. Ovarian cancer is a particularly harmful and misunderstood form of the disease. World Ovarian Cancer Day, therefore, is an opportunity to bring women together from across the globe to raise awareness and help fight this condition.

What is Ovarian Cancer?

‘Ovarian cancer’ is not a singular diagnosis, rather it is an umbrella term for a multitude of different types of cancer that affect the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the primary peritoneal cavity. It is estimated that there are more than 30 different types of ovarian cancer, and there is a very wide variation in incidence and outlook in terms of the different types.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal of the female cancers for which there is no reliable screening test, and every person assigned female at birth is at risk.  With delays in diagnoses due to this lack of screening and because symptoms are often confused with other, less severe, illness, most people are diagnosed once the cancer has already spread, making it more difficult to treat. While every woman is at risk, ovarian cancer is overlooked and underfunded.

The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition provides a list of support organisations near you.

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