Nothing prepares you for the moment a doctor asks you if you want to keep your cervix and uterus
Every year, nearly 2,000 women and people with ovaries are blindsided by a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Dubbed the silent killer, it's the deadliest gynaecological cancer, and is often undetected until it's too late due to the vagueness of symptoms. Despite this, research on ovarian cancer is critically underfunded and there are no screening or early detection tests.
Jo Yates (pictured above) is one of the lucky ones. Diagnosed early due to a proactive doctor, she still remembers the chilling moment when her doctor told her she needed an immediate hysterectomy in her early 40s. Like many women before her, ovarian cancer had crept into her life silently, without any warning signs.
Today, she is cancer-free and stands as a testament to the importance of funding cutting-edge ovarian cancer research.
You can play a vital role in ensuring other people, like Jo, receive a second chance at life by supporting groundbreaking, new research that aims to detect ovarian cancer earlier, develop more effective treatments, and ultimately save lives.
*Additional donations towards ovarian cancer research will be matched until we reach our $30,000 goal, but further donations to ovarian cancer research will still be welcomed.
Jo Yates
Nothing prepares you for the moment a doctor asks you if you want to keep your cervix and uterus, and in the same breath, tells you that you will go into menopause. But ovarian cancer survivor Jo Yates counts herself as one of the lucky ones.
Jo had never heard of ovarian cancer and had no obvious symptoms. It was only through a standard pap smear that her doctor found something unusual. After an ultrasound and CT scan, they discovered tumours in her ovaries. She needed a hysterectomy right away.
While she hadn’t planned on having kids, Jo knows that for other women who want to be mothers, an ovarian cancer diagnosis is even more devastating.
Dr Emily Colvin
Dr Emily Colvin sought to examine the importance of non-cancer cells in ovarian tumours. Her goal was to identify those cells as targets for new and more effective therapies, and find ways to diagnose the disease earlier.
This research is crucial because ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynaecological cancer and is often diagnosed late with poor survival rates. Despite initial chemotherapy success, many patients' cancer returns and becomes resistant.
Emily's Cure Cancer-funded project aimed to understand these cells better, helping to improve ovarian cancer treatment and quality of life for patients.
How your donation helps
$75
Can fund an hour of research
$125
Can help fund microscopy imaging to look for immune cells in tumours
$550
Can fund provide lab supplies for up to ten vital experiments
$1,000
Can help provide cutting-edge software to analyse cells
Frequently Asked Questions
What is gynaecological cancer?
Gynaecological cancer is an overarching term that encompasses seven types of cancers that develop from abnormal cells in the ovaries, uterus, endometrium, cervix, vagina, vulva, fallopian tubes, or placenta (a pregnancy-related cancer). In some cases, these cancers can metastasise to other areas of the reproductive system and genitalia, or other parts of the body.
Gynaecological cancer can affect women, trans men, nonbinary, and intersex people.
What are the risk factors for gynaecological cancer?
In Australia, the risk of being diagnosed with gynaecological cancer by the age of 85 is approximately 1 in 23.
Some risk factors associated with the risk of developing gynaecological cancer include:
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Family history of cancer
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Reproductive history
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Inherited mutated genes such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes
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Medical conditions such as endometriosis or a HPV infection
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Exposure to high levels of hormones produced by the body or from medication
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Modifiable lifestyle factors such as tobacco smoking and excess body weight
What are the common symptoms of gynaecological cancer?
Some common symptoms of gynaecological cancer include:
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Feeling full too quickly, loss of appetite, bloating, back pain or abdominal pain, common for ovarian cancer
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Abnormal vaginal bleeding (e.g., after menopause, in between periods or after sex) and unusual discharge, which are common for all gynaecolgoical cancers except vulvar cancer
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Pelvic pain or pressure, as seen in ovarian, uterine and vaginal cancers
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Changes in bladder or bowel habits, which is common for ovarian and vaginal cancers
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Itching, burning or soreness of the vulva and changes in the appearance of the vulva such as lumps, sores or warts, which are only found in vulvar cancer
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Painful sex
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Unexplained weight loss or gain
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Unexplained fatigue
It is important to note that each gynaecological cancer type will present with a different combination of symptoms and may be associated with different risk factors. Because a number of these symptoms can overlap with other medical conditions, it is important to see your GP, especially when you have one or more risk factors.
How is gynaecological cancer diagnosed?
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a pelvic examination
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a pap smear
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blood tests
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a biopsy
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imaging tests
Cervical cancer, in particular, is strongly associated with HPV infection, which rarely has symptoms and is known to cause more than 95% cases of cervical cancer. This is why it is so important to participate in the National Cervical Screening Program (the only screening available for gynaecological cancers), which tests for HPV infection, if you have a cervix and are aged between 25-74.
What is the prognosis for gynaecological cancer?
Unfortunately, gynaecological cancer is among one of the least funded cancer types in Australian cancer research.
Why your support matters
By supporting Cure Cancer, you're joining a community dedicated to making a tangible difference in the lives of those who have been impacted by breast cancer.
Your contribution fuels groundbreaking, one-of-a-kind research projects that focus on improving outcomes for breast cancer patients. Your generosity holds the potential to transform lives and instill hope in those confronting this devastating illness.
More about ovarian cancer research
Dr Jessica Holien
Cancer type: Ovarian cancer
Research: Unlocking the ‘machinery’ of mucinous ovarian cancer
Why we need more research into gynaecological cancer
Together, we can cure cancer.
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