Ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult female cancers to treat, with 70 per cent of cases diagnosed in advanced stages because it does not produce specific symptoms for a long time. The mainstay of treatment for advanced ovarian cancer is surgery.
"It is therefore crucial that the patient is managed in a specialised centre from the start and operated on by a team experienced in performing such operations. There is ample evidence that this translates into years of life," emphasises Professor Mariusz Bidzinski, national consultant in gynaecological oncology.
He announces that work on preparing the ovarian cancer registry will begin as early as January, and work will continue throughout 2022 to establish Ovarian Cancer Units, or centres for comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.
"In Europe there are currently 59 centres accredited by the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology; in Poland three (in Gdynia, Białystok and Warsaw). I think they should be considered first as Ovarian Cancer Units, but certainly more of them should be established". - Professor Bidzinski points out.
Today, only 20 per cent of patients are treated in referral centres. Patients are often sent from centre to centre, and there is also a shortage of specialised places that offer comprehensive treatment and experienced doctors. This has a direct impact on treatment outcomes. While the European average 5-year survival rate is 40 per cent, in Poland it is around 30 per cent.
"In the Mazovian region alone, ovarian cancer is dealt with by 27 centres, in Greater Poland by 15, but only three of them perform more than 20 operations per year. And the criterion of 20 operations per year is still a low threshold. If we continue like this, we will get nowhere". - says Prof Bidzinski bluntly.
In his opinion, around 30 Ovarian Cancer Units should be established in the country.
In Poland, around 3 700 women develop ovarian cancer each year and around 2 600 die. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common malignant tumour in women worldwide. In its initial stage, it develops completely asymptomatically, which is why more than 70% women are only diagnosed when they develop so-called ascites, i.e. an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity. This is already an advanced stage of the disease, usually then spread to other organs in the abdominal cavity. The poor prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer is undoubtedly influenced by the fact that there is a significant gap in screening tests, which are currently not applicable due to their ineffectiveness. Currently, the main method available to assess the risk of ovarian cancer in healthy women involves molecular testing for inherited mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes and genetic consultation (family history).
Source: isbzdrowie.co.uk