Ovcare

Jigsaw brings more than fashion to Australian Women.

Jigsaw’s Ovcare research program aims to increase awareness and raise funds for the development of a community-based early detection screening test for ovarian cancer. 

Every eleven hours an Australian woman will die of ovarian cancer. At present there is no early detection screening test. There are no or few symptoms, it is not detected by a pap smear or protected against with the cervical cancer vaccine. Due to late diagnosis, 70% of women with ovarian cancer die within 5 years. 

In September 2008 we celebrate the first improvement is ovarian cancer testing accuracy in over 30 years with the release of the OvPlex test. But there is still a long way to go. Please visit our boutiques today or see below to make a donation.

Ovcare Vision

Ovcare aims to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and raise funds in order to develop a community based screening test for the detection of early stage ovarian cancer.

Jigsaw is bringing more than fashion to Australian women and through Ovcare represents a powerful stand for women’s health. 

About Ovarian Cancer

Women presenting with ovarian cancer have the highest risk of death of any type of cancer. Whilst many more women are diagnosed with breast cancer, recovery rates are much lower for ovarian cancer. 70% of all women with ovarian cancer will die within 5 years of first diagnosis, mostly due to the late detection of the cancer.

Whilst generally considered an older woman’s illness, ovarian cancer has struck down teenagers and women in their 20’s and 30’s. Although it is curable if diagnosed early, ovarian cancer remains the most lethal female reproductive tract cancer because there is no early detection screening test available for this disease. 

Malignant cancers grow and invade local tissues. They spread from the primary tumour in the ovaries and spread to distant vital organs (i.e., they metastasise). They eventually destroy these organs too causing death. 

Through the Ovcare program, Jigsaw continues to partner the ovarian cancer research program by supporting a senior research officer and founding member of the research team, Mrs Gillian Barker, within the laboratory to work on ovarian cancer diagnostics. 

The Statistics

Every eleven hours an Australian woman will die of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer kills almost 50,000 women in the western world each year and over 800 women each year in Australia.

1200 Australian women will be newly diagnosed with this disease every year, and one in 70 women will develop ovarian cancer in their lifetime. In 70% of all cases, women with ovarian cancer will die within 5 years. The majority of women present with late stage (III, IV) disease and of this group of women, 75% will not survive past five years. 

Few Symptoms

Ovarian cancer causes few, if any, noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Any that do occur can be vague and can often be mistaken for other conditions. These “vague” symptoms can include, pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort, a feeling of fullness, bloating, abdominal swelling, vague but persistent digestive disturbances, unexplained weight gain or weight loss, loss of appetite, backache, increased frequency of urination, painful intercourse, diarrhoea, constipation or both, unusual vaginal bleeding. 

Risk Factors

As with most cancers, the risk of ovarian cancer increases with age. The rate is highest among women over 60 years of age. Women who have never had children are twice as likely to develop ovarian cancer as women who have borne children. Women who already have been diagnosed with breast, intestinal or rectal cancer appear to be at increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. Early age of first pregnancy, early menopause and the use of oral contraceptives appear to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is more likely to occur in women who:

  • Are over 40
  • Have never been on the contraceptive pill
  • Have had few or no pregnancies
  • Have a family cancer history, particularly, breast, ovarian or bowel

Treatment

Surgical treatment usually involves the removal of one or both ovaries, the uterus and the fallopian tubes. If the cancer is detected early, especially in younger women, it is possible that only the cancerous ovary will be removed. Radiation and chemotherapy options also are available to prevent or slow the recurrence of the ovarian cancer of the spread of cancer to other parts of the body following surgery. If diagnosed and treated early while the cancer is still localised, the five year survival rate from ovarian caner is 90%; however, only 23 percent of all cases are detected at the localised stage.

Current Screening Practice

Current screening practices involve a mix of tools, which are only partially effective and do not reach the standards of accuracy required for effective community screening. These tools include:

  • Periodic, complete pelvic examinations and ultrasound
  • CA125 blood test – specific for late stage disease, and even then, only has 50% accuracy
  • Diagnostic tests

Recent Research Developments

Significant progress has been made in recent years in developing more effective tests for detecting ovarian cancer. The Ovcare research team has been involved in validating a new type of ovarian cancer test called OvPlex. Ovplex is a test that measures 5 different substances in the blood that improves diagnostic test accuracy.

While OvPlex is not a community-based screening test (i.e., a Government-funded test available free to all Australian women) it is a significant step in the right direction and a test that we can work to improve. It is also the first new ovarian cancer test to be delivered in more than 30 years. It will become available from September 2008.