Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest cancers known to women – but B.C. researchers could change that fact with breakthrough discoveries.
They believe ovarian cancer deaths will be cut by half over the next 20 years with the discovery that the majority of cancers begin in the fallopian tubes and not the ovaries, as previously thought. As well, researchers have discovered that the disease has a genetic mutation that can be passed on to future generations.
"It may not be the most common cancer in women, but it is one of the most deadly," said Dr. Dianne Miller, a gynecologic oncologist with the B.C. Ovarian Cancer Research Program.
Ovarian cancer is one of the most fatal, with a survival rate of around 30 per cent. The most common malignancy is known as a high-grade serous tumour, which represents about two-thirds of all malignancies.
To prevent the cancer, researchers are now urging gynecologists to remove a woman's fallopian tubes during a hysterectomy or tubal ligation as a means of contraception.
"When we perform a hysterectomy and the ovaries are left inside, the fallopian tube is commonly left inside the patient," said Dr. Sarah Finlayson, a gynecologic oncologist for OvCaRe. "When we perform the tube ligation, the fallopian tube is clipped or burned and left inside the patient. Do you see where I'm going with this?
"The majority of high-grade serous cancers begin in the fallopian tube, and we're leaving the fallopian tube inside when it's no longer required. We need to start removing the fallopian tube to prevent these kinds of cancer."
Because there is currently no test to screen high-grade serous cancer, cancer is often at an advanced stage before symptoms appear and diagnosis is made.
"This subtype is very dangerous and often widespread at the time it is diagnosed at an advanced stage," Finlayson said. "We are rarely able to cure it. The truth is, most women with high-grade serous cancer do not survive. So obviously, we are very motivated to find better ways to tackle this subtype."
Another major discovery made is that about 20 per cent of such cancers have a genetic mutation that can be passed on to future generations. B.C. researchers are urging doctors across Canada to refer any woman diagnosed with a high-grade serous tumour to the B.C. Cancer Agency for genetic testing and counseling.
It's the combination of fallopian tube removal and genetic screening that will reduce ovarian cancer deaths by 50 per cent, Finlayson said.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in Canadian women, according to the agency.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Sarah Galashan
