Health, Cancer, Women's Health
Advances in genetic testing and knowledge mean that women with a family history of ovarian cancer can find out more about their own risk of developing the disease. Whilst knowledge can mean tough decisions, getting to know your family medical history could save your life.
Following reports last year that Sharon Osbourne has undergone a preventative double mastectomy because she has the BRCA gene that is known to increase the risk of breast cancer whilst former Liberty X star Michelle Heaton was recently given the devastating news that she has the BRCA2 cancer gene, to mark Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March, charity Ovarian Cancer Action is calling for all women, especially those with a family history of either breast or ovarian cancer to ‘have the conversation’ and check out their family medical history.
Women with a family history of ovarian and/or breast cancer as well as womb, bowel, stomach, pancreas, biliary and bladder cancer may have an inherited faulty gene that increases their risk of developing ovarian cancer by 10-60%.
A family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer may indicate that there is the presence of a BRCA mutation which increases the risk by 35-60%. What’s more, a family history of ovarian, bowel, womb, stomach, pancreatic, biliary and bladder cancer may suggest the presence of Lynch Syndrome increasing the risk by 10%.
According to a study into women’s awareness of ovarian cancer, 87.1% knew that a family history of ovarian cancer increased risk, but only 26.7% appreciated the association with a family history of breast cancer.
“Currently, if there is a significant family history, the GP can refer patients to a genetic clinic for counselling and discussion regarding testing. If an affected family member is still alive, they can be tested for mutation on the NHS. Only if this person tests positive for a mutation will testing be considered to other members of the family. That is why getting to know your family history is vital”, explains Gilda Witte, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Action.
What’s more, a shocking 32% of ovarian cancer patients in the UK are diagnosed each year through an emergency route such as A&E, emergency referrals etc, with a further one woman every two hours dying from the disease in the UK. Emergency presentations have become THE most common form of presentation for Ovarian Cancer coupled with one of the worst survival rates – especially among women aged over 50 years.
Known as the most deadly gynaecological cancer, ovarian cancer is currently the fifth most common cancer among women, with 7,000 new UK diagnoses each year.
There is currently no screening tool, but if found in the early stages up to 90% of women will survive for more than five years. Most women are not diagnosed until it has already spread, resulting in poor survival rates.
