It is common to look for ovarian cancer statistics to find out what the chances of something happening to you are, whether it’s the risk of getting the disease or the chances of dying from it. Below are various statistics from a few different countries, to give you an idea of the incidence, survival and mortality for ovarian cancer.
It is important to remember that these ovarian cancer statistics are general information that applies to a population, i.e. a large number of people, and won’t fit your situation exactly. You and your circumstances are unique, and if a statistic doesn’t look very good, it does not mean that this will be your outcome.
As always, if you have been diagnosed with cancer, it is important to keep a positive outlook on things to give you the best chance possible of overcoming the disease.
Worldwide
More than 204,000 cases are diagnosed each year. It is estimated that 125,000 women with ovarian cancer die each year. The ovarian cancer statistics for incidence indicate it is highest in the USA and Northern Europe and lowest in Africa and Asia.
United States
According to the American cancer Society, an estimated 21,500 new cases of ovarian cancer are expected in the US in 2009. Approximately 14,600 deaths are expected to be caused by ovarian cancer in 2009. Ovarian canceraccounts for about 3% of all cancers among women and ranks second among the gynaecological cancers, following uterine cancer.
Overall, it is the 5th leading cause of cancer deaths in women, despite being the 9th most commonly diagnosed. The 1-year and 5-year overall survival (all stages combined) is 75% and 46% respectively. If diagnosed at the localised stage (that is, confined to the ovary) the 5-year survival rate is 93%, however only 19% of all cases are diagnosed at this stage. The 10-year relative survival rate for all stages combined is 39%.
United Kingdom
There are around 6,600 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed each year in the UK. Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in women in the UK and the most common cause of gynaecological cancer death. Around 4,300 women die of ovarian cancer each year in the UK. For patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2001 the 1-year and 5-year overall survival (all stages combined) was 70% and 41% respectively.
Europe
The ovarian cancer statistics for Europe indicate that around 43,000 cases occur each year. Within the European Union the lowest rates are in the Southern European countries of Greece, Portugal and Cyprus, while the highest are in the Northern and Eastern European countries of Lithuania, Denmark, Czech Republic and Estonia.
Australia
Among Australian women, ovarian cancer is the 9th most common cancer diagnosed, and the 6th most common cause of cancer death. One in 77 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer before the age of 85. In 2005, the ovarian cancer statistics show that 1,205 women were diagnosed with the disease, with the projected figure for 2010 to be 1,378 new cases. The median age at diagnosis is 64 years, which is similar to that in other countries. The 5-year survival rate during 1998-2004 was 39.8%