Bold warning: menopause can mask a deadly reality. This is a crucial message from Mater doctors: the transition into perimenopause or menopause can obscure signs of ovarian cancer, making early detection harder and life-saving treatment more urgent. Roughly 1,900 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and about 1,000 lose their lives to it. During Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Mater’s women’s cancer specialists stress that menopause symptoms and ovarian cancer symptoms often overlap, so any new or persistent bodily changes should prompt a visit to your GP.
Consider the story of Jodie Roberts, a 49-year-old mother of two and social worker at Mater’s South Brisbane hospitals. She experienced months of fatigue and weight gain, which she attributed to menopause and a busy life. On New Year’s Eve 2024, her intuition suggested something wasn’t right. A rush to the emergency department led to a life-changing diagnosis: ovarian cancer, already at stage 4 with spread beyond the right ovary. “For about six months I felt flat, off,” she recalls. “I assumed it was perimenopause and carried on.”
Ovarian cancer is often called the ‘silent killer’ because early-stage detection is challenging and there is no effective screening test. After diagnosis, Jodie was referred to Mater Hospital Brisbane’s gynecological oncology team, one of Queensland’s premier ovarian cancer centers. She underwent chemotherapy, followed by a seven-hour operation to remove her uterus and ovaries, then more chemotherapy. She has since returned to full-time work and plans a dream trip to Europe, though she remains aware of the high risk of recurrence.
Jodie’s message to other women approaching menopause is clear: the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be easy to misattribute to menopause, but they shouldn’t be ignored. “The symptoms are vague, which is what makes ovarian cancer dangerous,” she notes. “Prioritize your health and seek medical advice if something feels off.”
Dr. Catherine Shannon, Senior Medical Oncologist at the Mater Cancer Care Centre, adds that while ovarian cancer is more common in women over 60, it can occur at any age, including during perimenopause and menopause. Overlapping symptoms include abdominal bloating, pelvic pain, changes in bowel habits, extreme fatigue, and unexplained weight changes. Women should be attentive to their own bodies and report anything unusual to their GP. Family history of breast or ovarian cancer should also be discussed with a doctor.
Key facts to know:
- Ovarian cancer diagnoses in Australia: about 1,900 per year; deaths around 1,000 annually.
- Common symptoms: abdominal bloating, pelvic pain, changes in bowel habits, persistent fatigue, unexplained weight gain or loss.
- Survival outlook: five-year survival rate around 46%; ovarian cancer remains the deadliest gynecological cancer.
- Screening gap: there is no widely available screening test for ovarian cancer, so many cases are advanced by the time they’re detected.
If you notice new or persistent symptoms during perimenopause or menopause, especially if they’re unusual for you, discuss them with your GP promptly. Early awareness and timely action can make a meaningful difference in outcomes. And this is the part many people miss: listening to your body and seeking medical advice when something feels off can save your life. Do you think the overlap between menopause symptoms and ovarian cancer signs is widely understood? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments.
