“Desperately disappointed” retreat to hope for ovarian cancer screening

Compared to unscreened women, the multimodal group had a 47% increase in detection of stage 1 ovarian cancer and a 24.5% decrease in stage 4 cancer. The lancet.

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Overall, the multimodal group had a 39% higher incidence of stage 1 and 2 cancers and a 10% lower incidence of stage 3 and 4 cancers.

However, there was no evidence that early detection led to improved survival.

“The cancers we diagnosed early seemed to be more aggressive,” said Professor Jacobs.

“Because cancers are more aggressive in nature, picking them up early does not change the point at which the patient dies.”

About 7 out of 10 people with ovarian cancer are diagnosed at a late stage when the cancer has already spread beyond the pelvis. Symptoms often appear long after the onset of cancer and can lead to serious conditions.

In Australia, an estimated 1532 women were diagnosed in 2020, and 1068 women died of ovarian cancer. There is a 46 percent chance of surviving 5 years after being diagnosed.

Christie Smith believed that her bloating was a harmless effect of being overspoiled for Christmas until February 2020 when a sudden, severe pain was sent to the 34-year-old emergency department.

Ultrasonography showed that a 20 cm cyst wrapped part of her left ovary and fallopian tubes.

Within hours, the surgeon removed the ovaries. A biopsy later found a 5 cm cancerous tumor.

The two mothers had stage 1c ovarian cancer.

“I was told that it was very rare to catch it so quickly. I am very lucky that the cancer was in the cyst,” Smith said.

She underwent hysterectomy and weight loss surgery to remove suspicious tissue in the area. After that, 6 rounds of chemotherapy and hormone therapy were given to stop the effects of premature menopause.

“I’m looking good now … my markers are where they should be, but I’m still at high risk of cancer recurrence,” she said.

“To other women diagnosed with ovarian cancer: don’t give up hope. It may have seemed tough at the time, but you’re stronger than you think.”

Professor Jacobs is an eternal optimist. “The challenge of ovarian cancer cracks,” he said.

“We need to find (and may) have a more effective treatment for early-detected cases, or tests that can find cancer even faster and actually save money. You have to find … I’ve lived for 5-10 years. “

Professor Mahes Palmer, director of the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at University College London and lead author of the treatise, said:
Advanced illnesses over the last decade … In women with early-diagnosis symptoms, this better treatment can make a difference in quality of life and potentially improve outcomes. “

Caroline Ford, an associate professor at UNSW’s Gynecologic Cancer Research Group (GCRG), said the entire ovarian cancer community was disappointed, waiting for the results of the study.

But she said it was a mistake to think that mass screening for ovarian cancer was impossible.

“It just shows where we’re going and doubling our efforts,” said Ford.

“Other researchers like my team have this very important data to build our research. I think today is an exciting day.”

In her own laboratory, she is working on an approach to detect DNA released from tumor cells into the bloodstream, allowing cancer to be detected at an early stage.

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Ovarian cancer treatment has also improved since study participants were screened and treated between 2000 and 2011, and early diagnosis and new treatment protocols could improve quality of life and extend lifespan. There is sex.

“There is a much more targeted treatment in 2021,” said Ford. For example, individual therapy with PARP inhibitors (available in at least 50% of patients with ovarian cancer) has proven to be “incredibly effective” in increasing survival and quality of life.

“We take medicines developed for other illnesses and have the opportunity to use them in the treatment of ovarian cancer. The range of medicines we can use is expanding each year,” she says. I did.

The findings were released days after World Ovarian Cancer Day and the Australian Ovarian Cancer Campaign to raise funds for important support services.

CEO Jane Hill said the news was very disappointing, but focusing on symptomatology recognition and early detection remained a priority.

“Obviously, based on the results of the trial, we can’t tell women that early detection of cancer can save lives, but women do. [who] If diagnosed early, treatments that were not available when this study was first envisioned are available. Some of these treatments are great for extending a woman’s lifespan and giving her a better quality of life, “says Hill.

Ovarian Cancer Australia, in collaboration with the New Zealand Gynecologic Oncology Group in Australia and the New Zealand Gynecologic Oncology Association in Australia, National Action Plan It aims to improve the survival rate, reduce the incidence and improve the quality of life of patients with ovarian cancer.

“It emphasizes that we need more money for ovarian cancer,” said Ms. Hill.

“Hopefully we will turn ovarian cancer into a chronic disease that will allow women to live better and longer with it in the future,” she said.

It took scientists 100 years to develop screening tests and vaccines for cervical cancer. Professor Jacobs estimated that it would take at least 25 years to develop a better detection test and conduct another screening test.

“We now take 40 to 50 years to work to overcome ovarian cancer … it’s probably up to the next generation of researchers to succeed in overcoming the dreaded and terrible disease,” he said. Told.