Report calls for urgent action to reduce the numbers of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer as emergencies and improve survival rates
The UK has some of the poorest survival rates from ovarian cancer in Europe.3 Late
diagnosis and access to treatment are particular challenges.
Through the National Cancer Plan the Government has set an ambitious target to
improve five year survival from cancer, including rare and less common cancers
such as ovarian cancer to 75%.4
This will be highly challenging to meet for ovarian cancer, where the current two
year survival rate in England is 57.8%.5
Future Health’s previous research found widespread regional variation in the
quality of care received by patients with ovarian cancer in England. The main
findings, based on analysis from the National Ovarian Cancer Audit included:
- A 22% difference between Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) seeing patients with
ovarian cancer admitted as an emergency 28 days prior to diagnosis with a
similar range observed for one year survival rates - A 34% range recorded between ICBs in rates of treatment at three months with
a 21% range recorded for patients on any treatment at nine months - Treatment rates three months after a diagnosis were generally highest in the
South West, with rates generally much lower in the North of England. Treatment
rates nine months after diagnosis were generally higher in the South West and
London than in other regions
This research looks to assess what progress has been made over the most recent
year of data, using the latest National Ovarian Cancer Audit again as the baseline.
Conclusion
The Government’s National Cancer Plan includes a strong and welcome focus on
how to improve outcomes for people with rare and less common cancers. Targets
to reduce emergency diagnoses and improve survival rates for patients with rare
and less common cancers, such as ovarian cancer, are an important step-change in
approach.
The latest Ovarian Cancer Audit data show that there is some progress being made
on ovarian cancer care in England. However beneath the national snapshot, the
picture is mixed with some Trusts making notable strides forward whilst others are
struggling to deliver the care patients need.
For the National Cancer Plan to deliver on its ambitions for people with ovarian
cancer two things will be required:
First, investment in foundational enablers to deliver change – particularly the
cancer workforce and new technology in data, genomics and biomarker testing
and diagnostics to deliver earlier and faster diagnosis and improved access to
treatment and care.
Second, will require a set of policy instruments, overseen by the National Cancer
Board and delivered by Cancer Alliances and Health and Wellbeing Boards that
are effectively constructed, monitored and delivered across the cancer pathway.
This includes ensuring awareness campaigns for rare and less common cancers,
such as ovarian cancer are resourced sufficiently, updating the diagnostic
pathway to enable concurrent ultrasound testing alongside CA 125 testing for
patients at risk of ovarian cancer, prioritising the development of a cancer manual
for gynaecological cancers that includes a clear focus on ovarian cancer and
disaggregating cancer performance data by cancer type including for ovarian
cancer.
Delivering on these investment enablers and policy instruments is now critical for
success.
3 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(13)70546-1/abstract; https://digital.nhs.uk/
data-and-information/publications/statistical/cancer-survival-in-england/cancers-diagnosed-2016-to-2020-
followed-up-to-2021
4 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-cancer-plan-for-england
5 https://www.natcan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/NOCA-State-of-the-Nation-Report-2025.pdf
This independent report was commissioned and funded by AbbVie. Full editorial control rests with Future Health.