WOMEN are being urged to take key warning signs of ovarian cancer more seriously, as research reveals symptoms are being ignored during lockdown.
March marks Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and the urgent message to watch out for early symptoms is being backed by Warrington-based Spire Cheshire Hospital and health professionals across the UK.
During the pandemic, there has been a dramatic fall in the number of people contacting their GP to get cancer symptoms checked out – according to a new report on the impact of COVID-19 by Target Ovarian Cancer, the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity.[i]
54% of women say their treatment has been affected by coronavirus and 27% aren’t able to access the same care and support.[ii]
Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cancer amongst women in the UK with more than 7,000 women diagnosed each year and 4,300 deaths annually.[iii]
Early detection can lead to successful treatment for many sufferers, but because symptoms aren’t well known and often mistaken for ‘tummy troubles’ or period pains, it’s often discovered in the late stages when successful treatment is much more difficult.
Mr Brett Winter-Roach, Consultant Gynaecologist at Spire Cheshire Hospital said: “Far too many women are dismissing the symptoms for too long before going to see their GP.
“Unfortunately there’s not always a specific symptom and the symptoms could be subtle and difficult to spot. This can contribute to GPs sometimes suspecting Irritable Bowel Syndrome as the problem.”
When women are diagnosed in the early stages of ovarian cancer they have a 90% chance of surviving, but this reduces to less than 40% when diagnosed in the later stages.
“My advice to any woman suffering from any of the below symptoms is to go to their GP and discuss the matter thoroughly. Cancer isn’t going away just because of the pandemic, and women must feel confident that when they visit their GP they will be examined with the possibility of ovarian cancer in mind.” said Mr Winter-Roach.
The four main symptoms to look out for are:
·Persistent bloating or increased stomach size
·Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
·Needing to urinate more frequently
·Persistent stomach pain
