The signs of ovarian cancer every woman should know

We all need to be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer

Four in five women are not confident in identifying symptoms of this form of cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women in Ireland, after lung, breast, and colorectal cancer. 

Knowing the symptoms of this form of cancer can help save lives, but so few people are aware of them.

President of the Irish Society of Gynaecological Oncology, Dr Dearbhaile Collins, said:

"Awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms can save lives. Early diagnosis can significantly improve survival – 88% of patients diagnosed with stage one are alive five years after diagnosis, compared to 17% with stage four.

"It is vital that women know the signs – and B-E-A-T Ovarian Cancer."

"The clear message is that if a woman experiences any of these symptoms for three weeks or more, she should contact her GP."

The BEAT symptoms women should be aware of: 

• Bloating that is persistent and doesn't come and go
• Eating less and feeling full more quickly
• Abdominal and pelvic pain you feel most days
• Toilet changes in urination or bowel habits

Annually, approximately 400 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and almost 300 women die from this disease in the Republic of Ireland.

In Northern Ireland, there are 300 women diagnosed, and 128 women die.

There is no standard screening test to pick up ovarian cancer in women who don’t have symptoms.

Unfortunately, more than three-quarters of patients with cancer are diagnosed when the disease is at a late stage. 

This is partly due to the vagueness of symptoms and similarity with other conditions, like IBS.

In some cases, symptoms may not always be obvious or present at all.

It's important to remember that cervical screening does not detect ovarian cancer.

The research showed that one in three mistakenly believe that CervicalCheck Screening Programme checks for ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancer.

Many people also believe it checks for vulva and vaginal cancer, but this is a myth.

It is important for women to understand that cervical screening only checks for cervical cancer and not any other cancer type.