Every year on the 4th February, World Cancer Day reminds us of the reality that progress against cancer depends not only on effective treatment, but on how early it is caught and how swiftly we act. For ovarian cancer, this challenge is especially urgent.
Ovarian cancer is often referred to as the “silent killer” due its vague and non-specific early symptoms that can be easily overlooked by the healthcare system. Because of this, the majority of women with ovarian cancer are often diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease, when treatment options are limited and survival rates are significantly lower[1]. Despite its worldwide reputation as the deadliest gynaecological cancer, ovarian cancer remains under-recognised and under-researched compared to other cancers affecting women[2].
The Challenge of Screening
One of the many challenges that make this disease so difficult to treat is early detection. Unlike breast or cervical cancer, there is currently no reliable, widely used screening test for ovarian cancer[3]. Commonly used tools, such as transvaginal ultrasound and CA-125 blood tests, lack the sensitivity and specificity needed to detect the disease early, particularly when it is in its most treatable stages and survival chances are greater[4]. The unfortunate reality therefore is that this gap leaves many women navigating a labyrinth of uncertainty, delayed diagnoses, and difficult treatment pathways.
The presence of risk is also not an evenly distributed factor. Due to certain gene variants that increase the risk of ovarian cancer, up to 20% of cases can be linked to inherited genetic factors[5]. For women carrying these variants, lifetime risk can be dramatically higher than average. While genetic testing has helped to transform prevention and care for some, complex decisions around surveillance, preventive surgery, and quality of life have also been introduced — decisions that are often made in the absence of truly personalised risk information.
How DISARM is Making a Difference
This is where initiatives like DISARM are working quietly but with purpose towards tackling the scourge of ovarian cancer. By bringing together clinicians, researchers, technologists, patient organisations, and health authorities from across Europe, DISARM is focused on improving risk assessment and early detection in ways that are accurate, accessible, and meaningful for women and the healthcare systems that serve them. The aim is not simply earlier diagnosis, but smarter, more individualised approaches that reduce harm while increasing impact.
A defining strength of the DISARM project is its close collaboration with patient associations, ensuring that women’s lived experiences remain central to how our innovative solutions are designed and communicated. Our project’s patient organisations, Associação EVITA – Cancro Hereditário (EVITA), the Hellenic Cancer Federation (ELLOK), and the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, will play an active role in shaping the direction of the project, from participatory co-design and the identification of end-user needs to awareness-raising and stakeholder engagement. Through these participatory approaches, DISARM integrates patient and citizen feedback into risk assessment, counselling, and health education activities, while also helping to amplify messages, strengthen health literacy, and promote equity in access to emerging technologies.
On World Cancer Day 2026, recognising ovarian cancer means acknowledging both what we still do not know and what must change: earlier detection saves lives, better risk understanding empowers women, and sustained investment in research is essential if the silence surrounding ovarian cancer is finally to be broken.
[1] Cancer Research UK. Survival for ovarian cancer. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/ovarian-cancer/survival. Accessed 22nd January 2026.
[2] Pasvanis M et al. (2023). Exploring the experiences and priorities of women with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer. doi:10.1007/s00520-023-07903-3.
[3] Ovarian cancer information. mariekeating.ie. https://mariekeating.ie/cancer-information/ovarian-cancer/. Accessed 22nd January 2026.
[4] Sahu SA, Shrivastava D. A Comprehensive Review of Screening Methods for Ovarian Masses: Towards Earlier Detection. Cureus. 2023 Nov 8;15(11):e48534. doi:10.7759/cureus.48534.
[5] Target Ovarian Cancer. Hereditary ovarian cancer. https://targetovariancancer.org.uk/about-ovarian-cancer/genetic-genomic-testing/hereditary-ovarian-cancer. Accessed 23rd January 2026.
This work received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101214318 (DISARM). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor HaDEA can be held responsible for them.
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