What Every Woman Needs to know about Ovarian Cancer

February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and Australian women are being asked to put their knowledge about ovarian cancer to the test in an effort to increase their understanding of the disease.

Ovarian cancer – what do you know? is a new online interactive quiz from Cancer Australia that will provide Australian women with vital information about the myths, risk factors and symptoms of ovarian cancer.

Cancer Australia CEO, Professor Helen Zorbas, said more than 25 women each week are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia and despite improvements in the survival rate in recent years the prognosis for women diagnosed remains poor.

In Australia, only 43 out of 100 women with ovarian cancer survive five years beyond their diagnosis and about two thirds of women are diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease.

“It’s important for women to know the facts about ovarian cancer and to be aware of the symptoms as there is no screening test for the disease,” Professor Zorbas said.

“Most women with ovarian cancer experience at least one symptom in the year prior to diagnosis, however, evidence suggests that women’s knowledge of ovarian cancer is poor, especially when it comes to the signs and symptoms of the disease.”

Cancer Australia is encouraging all women to go to www.youtube.com/canceraustralia and put their knowledge to the test by completing Ovarian cancer – what do you know?

To find out more information on ovarian cancer, please visit www.canceraustralia.gov.au