By Mapaballo Borotho

- Cervical cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer in South Africa, followed by uterine and ovarian cancers.
- Ovarian cancer remains associated with high mortality, highlighting the importance of awareness, timely diagnosis and access to appropriate care.
- AstraZeneca has launched the Helix Project to help expand access to HRD testing for eligible ovarian cancer patients in South Africa.
Ovarian cancer remains one of the most serious and challenging cancers affecting women globally.
According to the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, it is the eighth most common cause of cancer death in women, and the number of women who die from the malignancy is projected to increase significantly by 2050.
Gynaecological cancers were the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide in 2020 and accounted for 15.3% of cancer deaths in women.
“In South Africa, cervical cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer, followed by uterine and ovarian cancers,” said the pharmaceutical company in a statement, while ovarian cancer continues to place a substantial burden on patients and the healthcare system,” said pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in a statement.
Ovarian cancer is also among the more prevalent cancers affecting women and remains associated with high mortality, underscoring the importance of improved awareness, timely diagnosis and access to appropriate testing and care.
In response to the increasing rate of ovarian cancers among women, AstraZeneca has launched the Helix Project in South Africa to help expand access to advanced diagnostic testing for eligible ovarian cancer patients, supporting earlier and more informed treatment decisions.
This is because access to advanced ovarian cancer diagnostics remains limited for many patients in South Africa.
The Helix Project aims to help address this gap by improving access to homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) testing for eligible patients.
“Ovarian cancer is too often diagnosed late, and access to timely diagnostics can play an important role in helping inform treatment decisions,” said Dr Khomotso Mashilane, Medical Director, African Cluster, AstraZeneca.
This programme is designed to help reduce cost barriers to HRD testing for eligible patients and reflects our broader commitment to improving access to cancer care through partnership and innovation,” she added.
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