Updated Statistics from Ovarian Cancer in Australia: an overview, 2010
Incidence
- Ovarian cancer is the 9th most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women, and the second most commonly diagnosed gynaecological cancer.
- The number of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia increased from 833 in 1982 to 1,226 in 2006.
- By 2015, the number of new ovarian cancer cases among women is projected to be 17% higher than in 2006, with an estimated 1,434 women expected to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer
- One in 77 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer before the age of 85.
- The risk of ovarian cancer increases with age. About 81% of all new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in 2006 were in women 50 years or older.
- The average age of first diagnosis is 63 years.
- The age-standardised incidence rate of ovarian cancer has decreased significantly. In 1982 the incidence rate was 12.4 compared with 10.7 in 2006.
Mortality
- Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cause of cancer death in Australian women.
- A total of 795 women died from ovarian cancer in Australia in 2006.
- The age-standardised mortality rate of ovarian cancer has decreased from 8.6 per 100,000 in 1982 to 6.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2006.
- A woman’s risk of dying from ovarian cancer before the age of 85 has been declining, from 1 in 89 risk in 1982 to a 1 in 108 risk in 2006.
Survival
- The five year relative survival rate for Australian women with ovarian cancer has increased significantly, from 33% in 1982-1987 to 40% in 2000-2006.
Prevalence
- It is estimated that in 2006 there were 8,216 women alive who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the previous 25 years.
Burden of disease
- Ovarian cancer was the 25th leading cause of burden of disease for females, accounting for 11,994 DALYs (10,946 years of life lost and 1,048 years of life lost due to disability) in 2003.
