Only 1% of women recognise this common symptom of ovarian cancer

A new survey of 1,000 women from charity Target Ovarian Cancer reveals that just 1% of women in the UK are able to recognise a common symptom of ovarian cancer:

Needing the toilet more often than usual.

 

(Metro UK) – Only one in a hundred women surveyed in England said they knew that needing the loo often was one of the more common signs of ovarian cancer. That’s pretty concerning, especially considering that ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancers in women, and in the UK, 11 women die of the disease each day.

The women surveyed were pretty unaware of other symptoms, too. Just one in five were aware that abdominal pain could be a sign of ovarian cancer, 3% were aware that constantly feeling full is a symptom, and only 21% knew that bloating can be an indicator.

The poll also found that 30% of women believe that cervical screening tests will identify ovarian cancer – which isn’t the case. In light of these worrying results, the charity is keen to raise awareness of symptoms of ovarian cancer, so that people are able to tell when something’s wrong and get help more quickly.

Early diagnosis doubles the odds of surviving ovarian cancer for five years or more, so it’s incredibly important that everyone knows what to look out for – and when to chat to their GP. Target Ovarian Cancer chief executive Annwen Jones said: “There is a chronic lack of awareness and funding for ovarian cancer.

“We urgently need a national awareness programme for ovarian cancer and investment in research into new treatments. We have seen enormous advances in other cancers, but ovarian cancer is lagging behind. ‘With an investment, we know we could see similar progress. We must act now to transform the lives of women with ovarian cancer before it’s too late.”

 

Common symptoms of ovarian cancer:

Pelvic or abdominal pain
Persistent bloating
Difficulty eating/feeling full quickly
Needing to wee more urgently or more often
Extreme fatigue
Unexplained weight loss Loss of appetite

 

Important things to remember about ovarian cancer

Cervical screening tests will not detect ovarian cancer
Most cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed in women who’ve gone through menopause, but younger women can also get ovarian cancer
Survival can be up to 90% for women diagnosed early
Symptoms are worth checking if they’re frequent, persistent, or new

 

This post first appeared on the metro UK website

 

 

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