Awareness of ovarian cancer risk factors, beliefs and attitudes towards screening: baseline survey of 21 715 women participating in the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening

摘要: Background: Women's awareness of ovarian cancer (OC) risks, their attitudes towards and beliefs about screening, together with misunderstandings or gaps in knowledge, may influence screening uptake. Methods: In total, 21 715 post-menopausal women completed questionnaires before randomisation into the UK Collaborative Trial Ovarian Cancer Screening. Results: all, 42.3% correctly identified lifetime risk OC; 87.1% knew that a family history OC increased risk, but only 26.7% appreciated association breast cancer. Although 38.2% acknowledged post-menopause, 8.8% were aware diagnoses are highest over 65 years. Few (13.7%) recognised between pregnancy reduced protective effects breastfeeding (6.2%). There common misconceptions; 37.2% thought an abnormal cervical smear 26.4% oral contraception likelihood OC. 84.4% most masses benign, 20.2% having had benign cyst risk. Most (99.4%) believed high uptake would reduce mortality (96.2%) screen-detected cancers have improved prognosis. Conclusions: The results show need for public understanding risks provide important information GPs health educationalists initiatives needed future awareness, prevention programmes.