Most women presenting with ovarian cancer have advanced disease and have had symptoms for months. Greater awareness among both women and healthcare professionals might result in women presenting earlier with less advanced disease, leading to better outcomes. There is insufficient understanding of the factors that influence earlier diagnosis in women with ovarian cancer, especially the relationship between duration of symptoms and stage at diagnosis. Data demonstrating benefits from earlier presentation will justify investment in raising awareness among women and healthcare professionals. This is likely to be a population-based study that records both the duration and frequency of symptoms. .
