Overview

• Over 75% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, contributing to a global five-year survival rate of just 49%.
• A University of South Australia team, funded by Health Translation SA, is co-designing a user-friendly symptom assessment tool to improve early detection.
• The tool will incorporate feedback from patients and clinicians to identify common symptoms and risk patterns, with a prototype currently under development.
• Clinicians urge women to monitor subtle symptoms such as persistent bloating, pelvic pain, urinary changes, and appetite loss, and to seek timely GP evaluations.
• Protective factors like oral contraceptive use and breastfeeding, alongside lifestyle changes, can reduce ovarian cancer risk.