Why is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month important?
- Currently only 3 in 10 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer live beyond 10 years.
- With 7500 women receiving an ovarian cancer diagnosis in the UK each year, it’s vital we make faster progress to reach a vision of ovarian cancer being survivable for all women.
- Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that affects the ovaries, which are part of the female reproductive system.
- Every 2 hours another woman dies from ovarian cancer. It kills more women in the UK than womb, cervical, vulval, and vaginal cancers combined.
- Ovarian cancer most commonly affects women over the age of 50, but ovarian cancer can affect women of all ages.
- One in four women mistakenly think their smear test will detect the disease.
- Symptoms are often mistaken for less serious conditions like IBS.
What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?
Understanding the symptoms of ovarian cancer is pivotal for early detection. Common symptoms include:
- Persistent bloating.
- Pelvic or abdominal pain.
- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly.
- Changes in urinary habits.
- Fatigue.
- Unexplained weight loss or gain.
What resources are available?
You can download and share the ovarian cancer symptoms tracker, to help conversations with the GP.
They also have a leaflet on key ovarian cancer information, which can be downloaded and printed to help raise awareness.
For more information visit 👉 The UK’s Leading Ovarian Cancer Research Charity | Ovarian Cancer Action]
If you experience any or all of the above symptoms, please contact the practice as soon as possible for an appointment. 🩺
