Unknown, discreet and yet formidable, ovary cancer takes thousands of women every year in France. On the occasion of Turquoise September, the Imagyn association and the Abbvie laboratory launch an unprecedented campaign to break the silence around this disease and recall the importance of gynecological monitoring, even after menopause.
Rare but formidable cancer
With nearly 5,500 new cases each year in France, ovarian cancer remains one of the deadliest among female cancers. Its danger lies in its invisibility: 75 % of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, when the disease has already spread beyond the ovary. Under these conditions, the chances of survival collapse: 25 % of women die within three months of diagnosis and more than 40 % in the year.
Three times as dead than breast cancer, it remains little known to the general public. Symptoms – bloating, abdominal pain, digestive disorders – are too often trivialized or confused with hormonal problems. For Professor Benoît You, medical oncologist at the Civil Hospices in Lyon, “Awareness of the medical community and women from the first signs of the disease, but also active research around screening programs, should allow us to diagnose this disease earlier, and improve the prognosis of patients. “
An unprecedented campaign to raise awareness
Faced with this observation, the Imagyn and Abbvie association launch “Ovaries under surveillance“, An initiative carried out throughout Turquoise September. On social networks, testimonial videos give the floor to patients who have survived ovary cancer.
Anne-Marie, today in remission, says: “My ovary cancer has profoundly changed my life. Initially florist and shy nature, it was my husband who saved my life by insisting that I see a doctor. The diagnosis was a shock, especially after the death of my mother of cancer the previous year. Today, I am a stronger, more fulfilled woman. Referent for the Imagyn association, I fight to inform and alert all women: regularly consult a gynecologist, always ask for a second medical opinion and demand to be taken care of in an expert center. It is a fundamental right and it is your best chance to avoid recurrences or irreversible damage“.
Guitta, nicknamed “La Miraclée”, also shares his journey: “I am called the miraculous because, when I was diagnosed, the disease was already very advanced and, at this stage, most women do not get out of it. I have gone through many operations, complications and very difficult pain. If I testify today, it is to remind all women the importance of regular gynecological monitoring and transmit a message of hope“.
These voices embody hope and recall that gynecological vigilance remains the key to thwart this silent cancer.
Gynecological follow -up does not stop at menopause
In France, the median age at diagnosis is 65 years, when many women cease their gynecological consultations. This relaxation can be expensive. Maintaining regular follow -up, even after menopause, makes it possible to detect early signs, often discreet, but which can save lives.
Coralie Marjollet, president of Imagyn, insists: “After menopause, some women stop interrupting their gynecological follow -up, thinking that it is no longer necessary. However, maintaining regular follow -up, even after 50 or 60 years, optimizes the chances of detecting any gynecological cancers early, especially that of the ovary. It is not a question of multiplying the exams, but rather of maintaining a regular dialogue with a health professional, capable of advising and orienting if necessary towards the appropriate examinations. Post-Menopause follow-up thus represents an important prevention lever. At Imagyn, we encourage this vigilance to women, doctors and authorities: menopause is not the end of gynecological monitoring, but a key step in the prevention course “.
The stake is clear: breaking taboos, informing, and reminding all women that gynecological vigilance has no age.