Key findings from the National Ovarian Cancer Audit 2024
The first National Ovarian Cancer Audit (NOCA) report, published in 2024, takes an in-depth look at how ovarian cancer care was delivered to women in England in 2021 and in Wales in 2022. The audit provides crucial insights into treatment patterns, survival rates, and areas where improvements are needed.
What is the National Ovarian Cancer Audit?
The NOCA report looks at how well women with ovarian cancer are being cared for across England and Wales. It tracks things like:
- How and when patients are diagnosed
- What treatments they receive
- How many women survive at least one year after diagnosis.
This is the first State of the Nation report , and a new report will be published each year . The goal is to find out where care can be improved to give women the best chance of survival and track changes year-on-year.
From running an audit feasibility pilot, to campaigning, understand how Ovarian Cancer Action helped progress the National Ovarian Cancer Audit.
How Ovarian Cancer Action were involved in the Ovarian Cancer Audit
Ovarian Cancer Action played a pivotal role in campaigning for the National Ovarian Cancer Audit. For nearly a decade, the charity and its supporters pushed for government action to address the inequalities in ovarian cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survival across the UK.
In 2018, over 12,000 supporters signed a petition led by Ovarian Cancer Action supporter Gemma Carroll, urging the government to fund a national audit. This effort, along with the findings from the Ovarian Cancer Audit Feasibility Pilot (co-funded by Ovarian Cancer Action, Target Ovarian Cancer, and the British Gynaecological Cancer Society), was instrumental in the government’s decision to commission the full-scale audit.
Key findings from the report
Emergency admissions
Emergency admissions are when a patient is admitted to hospital via A&E and diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
- England: 41% of women with ovarian cancer had an emergency admission within 28 days before diagnosis.
- Wales: 40.6% of women faced similar emergency admissions.
What this means: Women diagnosed through emergencies are four times more likely to die within two months than those diagnosed through planned pathways. This is because their symptoms have become very severe, indicating that the cancer has spread. This highlights the need for better symptom awareness and quicker access to healthcare to ensure the earliest diagnosis as possible.
Treatment gaps
- England: 27% of women with advanced ovarian cancer (stage 2-4) did not receive any form of treatment (surgery or chemotherapy).
- Wales: Around 23% of women faced the same treatment gap.
What this means: Not all women are receiving the necessary treatment, which severely impacts survival. This could be due to advanced cancer stages or poor health, but more research is needed to understand why some women are not receiving any treatment.
Use of platinum-based chemotherapy
- England: 34% of women with advanced ovarian cancer did not receive platinum-based chemotherapy, the standard treatment.
What this means: Platinum-based chemotherapy is crucial for treating ovarian cancer, and this gap suggests some women may not be receiving optimal care. It could be due to health conditions, but again, undertreatment could be a factor
One-year survival rates
- England: 69.4% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer survived at least one year after diagnosis.
- Wales: 74.4% of women survived at least one year after diagnosis.
What this means: One year survival rates have not improved in England for over a decade. While survival rates in some areas has improved, other parts of the UK are significantly behind. Overall the UK still lags behind countries like Australia and Norway, where one-year survival rates are higher. This indicates a need for further improvements in care.
What will Ovarian Cancer Action do with these findings?
Over the coming months, we will be reviewing these findings in more detail. We will use them to inform the next stages of our strategy to make care equal across the UK.
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Ovarian Cancer Audit (NOCA)?
NOCA is a comprehensive audit of the care received by women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in England and Wales. The audit aims to track treatment patterns, survival rates, and identify areas for improvement in ovarian cancer care. The 2024 report focuses on women diagnosed in 2021 (England) and 2022 (Wales).
Why are emergency admissions a concern for ovarian cancer?
Around 40% of women with ovarian cancer in England and Wales are diagnosed after an emergency admission. This often means the cancer is more advanced, leading to poorer outcomes. Women diagnosed this way are four times more likely to die within two months compared to those diagnosed through planned referrals.
What are the main treatments for ovarian cancer?
The main treatments include surgery and chemotherapy. However, 27% of women in England and 23% in Wales did not receive any treatment, which may affect their chances of survival.
What is platinum-based chemotherapy, and why is it important?
Platinum-based chemotherapy is a treatment that uses drugs containing platinum to damage cancer cells’ DNA. It’s an essential treatment for advanced ovarian cancer, but 34% of women in England did not receive it, suggesting some may not be getting the most effective care.
How does ovarian cancer survival in the UK compare to other countries?
While 69.4% of women in England and 74.4% in Wales survived at least one year after diagnosis, survival rates still lag behind other countries like Australia and Norway. This suggests there is room to improve the quality of ovarian cancer care in the UK.
How can I help raise awareness about ovarian cancer?
You can help by sharing information about ovarian cancer symptoms, supporting early diagnosis campaigns, and getting involved in fundraising activities. Educating yourself and others about the signs of ovarian cancer could help save lives.
What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?
Common symptoms include persistent bloating, feeling full quickly when eating, stomach or pelvic pain, and needing to urinate more often or urgently. If these symptoms persist, it’s important to see a doctor.
