*Remember the symptoms

Raising awareness during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer in women in the UK, affecting around 6,600 women every year in the UK. It is the biggest gynaecological killer of women in the UK and the fourth most common cause of death from cancer in women after lung, breast and bowel cancer. Awareness of the disease and its symptoms is low. Research conducted by Ovarian Cancer Action shows that women are more likely to know about male cancers than ovarian cancer. Most women currently cannot name a single symptom of ovarian cancer.

In the absence of a proven screening tool that detects ovarian cancer, an awareness of the key symptoms currently provides our greatest chance of detecting it at an early stage.

With two out of every three cases of ovarian cancer being diagnosed when the disease has spread and treatment options are limited, it is critical that we pull out all the stops to ensure women with ovarian cancer get diagnosed earlier. The good news is that, if detected in its early stages, women have a 90% chance of surviving the disease. It is hoped that by improving awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer amongst women and GPs, women will report persistent symptoms sooner and receive prompter, more effective treatment.

However the reality is that currently over 60% of women diagnosed with the disease will die within five years, a statistic that has not significantly improved in the UK for twenty years.

The average GP will only see one case of ovarian cancer every five years. Ovarian Cancer Action is keen to work hand in hand with GPs and women to ensure that information on the symptoms and risks associated with ovarian cancer is communicated responsibly and work together to improve outcomes for women diagnosed with the disease. In 2009, we formed a partnership with the Royal College of GPs to ensure GPs are aware and supportive of Ovarian Cancer Action’s Remember the Symptoms campaign.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer include: persistent stomach pain, increased abdominal size and persistent bloating, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly. These common symptoms alongside needing to urinate more frequently, a change in bowel habits, back pain and extreme fatigue are often confused for less serious and more common conditions, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or the menopause. Whilst it is most likely that these symptoms are not ovarian cancer, it is important that anybody experiencing them on most days discusses any concerns with their GP.

To facilitate women’s conversations with their GPs and to help them differentiate between ovarian cancer and less serious conditions, Ovarian Cancer Action has prepared a Symptoms Diary. The Diary enables women to diarise the type of symptom/s they are experiencing and the persistency of those symptoms to help differentiate the disease from less serious conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The diary is a useful tool for discussing symptoms with a GP and asking whether ovarian cancer should be considered. To download a copy of the Symptoms Diary, visit: www.ovarian.org.uk/download/symptom_diary.pdf

Visit the Ovarian Cancer Action website - www.ovarian.org.uk for more information

Other useful websites:

WOW - Wellbeing of Women

Macmillan. Cancer Support - we make things clearer.