Symptoms of ovarian cancer highlighted

Gynaecology Macmillan nurses specialists Amanda Storey and Julie Dale

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are being highlighted by a team of Gynaecology Macmillan Nurse Specialists at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust as part of an annual awareness raising drive.

More than 6,500 women in the UK are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year. It is most common in women over 50, but can affect all ages.

March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. During the month, a team of Gynaecology Macmillan Nurse Specialists at the Trust are encouraging women to go to their doctor if they notice any regular symptoms associated with the disease.

Symptoms can include persistent pelvic and abdominal pain, swelling of the abdomen and bloating, difficulty eating and feeling full quickly. These symptoms are not normal, frequent, they happen most days and they don’t go away.

Developing cancer because of an inherited faulty gene is quite rare, only between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of cancers (or less than ten out of 100 cases) are thought to be clearly linked to an inherited faulty gene. Women should also alert their doctor if there are two or more cases of ovarian or breast cancer in their family as ovarian cancer can sometimes run in families.

During March Nurse Specialists Julie Dale, Jean Sellars and Amanda Storey have been holding information events and poster displays at the Trust’s hospitals promoting the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer and giving advice on where people can seek more information and help.

Amanda Storey, Gynaecology Macmillan clinical nurse specialist, said: “It is important that if you develop any of these symptoms and they occur on a regular basis, you need to get them checked by your doctor. We are encouraging women, if they are not happy and things continue after seeing their GP, they should go back again for more advice. Do remember many of these symptoms are common to other conditions so experiencing them does not mean you have cancer. However, if they persist then it is important that they are checked appropriately. The earlier any cancer is diagnosed, the greater chance there is of survival.” 

Women who are worried that they may have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, because of cancer in their family, can be referred to a genetic counselling clinic. Women are advised to speak to their GP. 

More information about ovarian cancer can be found online at www.macmillan.org.uk or call 0808 808 0000, or www.targetovarian.org.uk or www.ovacome.org.uk