Awareness about the symptoms & risk factors of ovarian cancer among women in North Urban Bengaluru - A cross-sectional study

Q: What was the main objective of the study in North Urban Bengaluru?

To determine ovarian cancer awareness, risk factors, and symptoms among women in a community-based setting in North Urban Bengaluru.

Q: How was ovarian cancer awareness measured in this research?

A validated questionnaire, the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Measure (OCAM), was used to interview women.

Q: What proportion of participants were aware of ovarian cancer, and what symptoms were most recognized?

Only 28.5% of the 375 women interviewed were aware of ovarian cancer. Extreme fatigue, pelvic pain, abdominal enlargement, and back pain were among the most commonly identified symptoms.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans

A cross-sectional study investigated ovarian cancer awareness, risk factors, and symptoms among women in Yelahanka, North Urban Bengaluru, between October 2023 and July 2024. Using the validated Ovarian Cancer Awareness Measure (OCAM), interviews were conducted with 375 women via systematic household sampling supported by Epicollect-5. Results showed only 28.5% awareness, with median symptom and risk-factor scores indicating limited knowledge. Extreme fatigue and pelvic pain were commonly recognized symptoms, while ovarian cyst history, smoking, age over 50, and overweight were top risk factors. Socioeconomic status and related demographics significantly influenced awareness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Background & objectives

Methods

Results

Interpretation & conclusions

Introduction (global and regional cancer burden)

Ovarian cancer burden and detection challenges

Risk factors and potential prevention

Indian J Med Res 161, May 2025, pp 502-509 DOI: 10.25259/IJMR_ 1351_2024 Original Article Awareness about the symptoms & risk factors of ovarian cancer among women in North Urban Bengaluru: A cross-sectional study Surabhi Sai P. Raghavendra1, Mackwin Kenwood Dmello1, Anjusha Alex2 & Priya Nandimath3 Departments of 1Public Health, Nitte Institute of Allied Health Sciences (NIAHS), 2Biostatistics, KSHegde Medical Academy, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru & 3Department of Public Health, Padmashree School of Public Health, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Received September 8, 2024; Accepted April 15, 2025; Ahead of print June 25, 2025; Published June 30, 2025 Background & objectives: In low or medium Human Development Index (HDI) nations, late-stage ovarian cancer diagnosis in 75 per cent of women is known to hinder treatment outcomes. However, knowledge and awareness can significantly impact disease progression and outcomes. This study was conducted to determine ovarian cancer awareness, risk factors, and symptoms among women in a community-based setting. Methods: This study was conducted in Yelahanka, North Urban Bengaluru, between October 2023 and July 2024. A validated questionnaire, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Measure (OCAM), was used to interview the women. Household data were collected through systematic sampling using the Epicollect-5 mobile application and analysed with Jamovi software version 2.3.28. Results: A total of 375 women were interviewed during the study, of which 28.5 per cent were aware of ovarian cancer. With median scores of 4 out of 10 for symptoms and 5 out of 12 for risk factors, there was a general lack of awareness of symptoms and risk factors. Commonly identified symptoms included extreme fatigue (61.7%), pelvic pain (54.2%), abdominal enlargement (51.4%), and back pain (43.9%). The socioeconomic class was significantly associated with symptom awareness (P<0.05). On identifying risk factors of ovarian cancer, the most recognised were a history of ovarian cysts (71%), smoking (64.48%), age >50 yr (55.54%), and being overweight (47.6%). Age, marital status, education, and socioeconomic class (P<0.05) influenced awareness of risk factors. Interpretation & conclusions: This study found low ovarian cancer awareness among women in North Urban Bengaluru, emphasising the necessity for focused awareness programmes to enhance early diagnosis and improve health outcomes. Key words Awareness-gynaecological cancers-knowledge-ovarian cancer-risk factors-symptoms Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, with approximately 9.7 million fatalities and 20 million new cases reported globally in 20221. Asia, a region home to 59.2 per cent of the global population, accounted for nearly half of all global cancer cases (49.2%) and most cancer-related deaths © 2025 Indian Journal of Medical Research, published by Scientific Scholar for Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research This open access publication is protected under CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 RAGHAVENDRA et al: AWARENESS & RISK FACTORS OF OVARIAN CANCER 503 (56 . 1%)2. Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) projections estimate that cancer cases in India will rise by 57.5 per cent from 2020 to 2.08 million by 20403. The most common cancers among Indian women are those of the breast (28%), cervix (10.6%), ovaries (6.2%), and uterus (3.7%) . Cancer ranks among the foremost causes of death globally4. The rising cancer incidence among females in India underscores the need for preventive measures. Ovarian cancer comprises a group of diseases that originate in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or peritoneum5. In 2022, ovarian cancer affected 3,24,398 women globally, resulting in 2,09,830 deaths2. Over a lifetime, women have a one in 75 risk of developing ovarian cancer and a one in 100 risk of dying from it6. Despite being less frequent than breast cancer, ovarian cancer is three times more deadly, and estimates indicate that by 2040,

FAQs

What was the main objective of the study in North Urban Bengaluru?

To determine ovarian cancer awareness, risk factors, and symptoms among women in a community-based setting in North Urban Bengaluru.

How was ovarian cancer awareness measured in this research?

A validated questionnaire, the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Measure (OCAM), was used to interview women.

What proportion of participants were aware of ovarian cancer, and what symptoms were most recognized?

Only 28.5% of the 375 women interviewed were aware of ovarian cancer. Extreme fatigue, pelvic pain, abdominal enlargement, and back pain were among the most commonly identified symptoms.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans