Breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers may be more common in some families than in other families. In order to detect these forms at an early stage, the Dutch Breast Cancer Association has started with a campaign† On the website hetzitindefamilie.nl a questionnaire can be filled in. This is a good step to identify the risks of these cancers. That reports ANP Expert Support.
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About 1,300 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year. Of these, three in four women already have metastatic disease. Only one in three women with metastatic ovarian cancer is still alive five years after treatment. The survival rate of ovarian cancer, expressed in five-year survival, of metastatic ovarian cancer is therefore poor.
Stage at which the disease is discovered
Five-year survival is determined by the stage at which the disease is discovered. The sooner the better. Unfortunately, however, there are no tests to screen for this cancer. So we are not yet able to use research to discover who will get ovarian cancer or who may have it at a very early stage. In some families there are more than average cancer patients. This may be due to a change in the nucleus of the cells, a gene mutation. The most common gene mutation is the BRCA mutation. In families with this BRCA gene mutation, the risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer is higher. The mutation can be detected with a blood test. If a BRCA mutation has been detected, the person can opt for a risk-reducing operation after talking to a gynaecologist.
By: National Care Guide
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