Journal
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Volume 23, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1017/S146342362200041X
Keywords
community health services; early diagnosis; ovarian neoplasms; primary health care; UK; women's health
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Ovarian cancer poses challenges for general practitioners in terms of diagnosis, but early detection can be facilitated through a people-focussed and system-based approach, leading to improved survival rates.
Background: Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related death in the UK amongst women. Ovarian cancer presents particular challenges for general practitioners (GPs) to diagnose due to its rarity and presentation with non-specific symptoms. Methods: A narrative overview of the literature was conducted by searching PubMed and Researchgate for relevant articles, using keywords such as ovarian cancer, primary care and diagnosis. Results and Discussion: Studies have shown that in the UK, GPs have a lower readiness to refer and investigate potential cancer symptoms compared with their international counterparts; and this has been correlated with reduced survival. Early diagnosis can be facilitated through a people-focussed and system-based approach which involves both educating GPs and using risk algorithms, rapid diagnostic centres/multi-disciplinary centres and being data-driven through the identification of best practice from national audits. Further research is required into the best evidence-based early investigations for ovarian cancer and more effective biomarkers.
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