Key Facts About Ovarian Cancer
Incidence
Ovarian cancer is the 7th most common cancer in women worldwide. Approximately 313,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. In Spain, over 3,500 new cases per year. Lifetime risk: approximately 1 in 78 women.
Diagnosis
75% of ovarian cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage (III or IV). The 5-year survival rate when diagnosed at stage I exceeds 90%. Stage IV 5-year survival is approximately 29%. There is currently no effective mass screening test for ovarian cancer in the general population.
Risk Factors
BRCA1 mutation: up to 44% lifetime risk. BRCA2 mutation: up to 17% lifetime risk. Family history of ovarian or breast cancer. Never having been pregnant (nulliparity). Hormone replacement therapy. Age over 50. Lynch syndrome.
Protective Factors
Oral contraceptive use (reduces risk by 30–50% with 5 years of use). Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Tubal ligation. Salpingo-oophorectomy (prophylactic in BRCA mutation carriers).
Treatment at a Glance
Primary cytoreductive surgery: total hysterectomy + bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy + omentectomy + lymphadenectomy. HIPEC: combined with cytoreductive surgery in selected patients with peritoneal spread. Chemotherapy: carboplatin + paclitaxel (6 cycles) is standard. PARP inhibitors: maintenance therapy for BRCA-mutated patients. Overall 5-year survival (all stages): approximately 47–50%.
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