Just the facts

If you think you’ve been checked for ovarian cancer, think again. There is no reliable screening test for this disease and no vaccine to prevent it. Yet ovarian cancer is the most fatal women’s cancer in Canada. One in two women diagnosed do not live to see another five years.

All women are at risk for developing ovarian cancer. But a woman is at higher risk if:

She is over 50 years of age
Her family has a history of ovarian, breast, endometrial, or colorectal cancer
She is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent
She has a hereditary predisposition, such as the BRCA gene mutation, which is associated with ovarian cancer

While there is no vaccine to prevent ovarian cancer, the following factors can help reduce risk:

Use of oral contraceptives
Full-term pregnancy
Removal of the ovaries and/or fallopian tubes
Tubal ligation

The decision to pursue preventive action can depend on a person’s life stage. More immediately, it is up to each of us to know our bodies and be aware of changes.

The signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer are easy to overlook as they can signal a variety of conditions. Some of the most common symptoms are:

Bloating
Difficulty eating
Abdominal discomfort
Change in urinary habits

If you notice any new symptoms that persist for three weeks or longer, speak to your doctor. Go equipped with a list of concerns because you are your own best advocate.

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