Ovarian cancer death rate down by 17%, study finds

‘Earlier and greater use of oral contraceptives in the UK for generations of women born since the 1930s has a major role,’ says researcher

- MAYA OPPENHEIM

Deaths from ovarian cancer in Britain will be 17 per cent lower this year than in 2017 amid increased use of oral contraceptives, according to new research.

A study published in the Annals of Oncolo� also predicts death rates from the disease will be 7 per cent lower across European Union (EU) nations. Researchers at the University of Milan in Italy say the substantial declines are down to the usage of oral contraceptives. The report also believes oral contraception explains disparities in case rates between nations.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women – with the NHS saying around half of women with the disease will live for at least five years after diagnosis, while around one in three will live at least a decade.