March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cancer in women in the UK and statistics show that about 7,400 women are diagnosed with it each year, which includes cancer of the ovaries, fallopian tubes and peritoneum. This number is rising and is predicted to increase to 9,400 new cases per year by 2040. Another way of looking at ovarian cancer is that one woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer every hour in the UK.

Ovarian cancer survival has almost doubled in the last 50 years in the UK; in the 1970s, less than a fifth of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer survived their disease beyond ten years but by the 2010s, it was more than a third. There is still a long way to go with fighting ovarian cancer, as ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a later stage. Only a third of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are diagnosed at an early stage i.e. stage I or II. If ovarian cancer can be detected at an early stage, it gives the best possible chance of being cured and so it is important to raise awareness as to the signs and symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of ovarian cancer can present in the same way as other less serious conditions, which can make it difficult for medical professionals to diagnose early. This can include symptoms such as:

• Swollen abdomen (bloated)
• Feeling full quickly when eating
• Pain in back and/or lower abdomen
• Pain during sex
• Bladder/bowel habit changes
• Unexplained Change in weight
• Unexplained tiredness

Ovarian cancer is more common in women over 50, usually after menopause; however, it can occur in women of any age, particularly if there is a family history of breast / ovarian cancer.

Diagnosis

Attending your GP will be the start of the diagnosis process. Your GP should take a note of any symptoms with which you are presenting and undertake an internal vaginal examination to check for any lumps and/or swelling. Your GP should also ask for tests to be undertaken including a blood test to check for raised levels of protein and ultrasound scans of the pelvis and abdomen.

Following these tests, if anything is found, a referral will be made to the hospital where further tests will be undertaken including a CT scan, biopsy, genetic testing and removing of any fluid buildup in the abdomen for testing.

Treatment

Ovarian cancer can be treated in a number of ways and this will be tailored to the staging of the cancer. This can include surgery to remove all/most of the cancer and can include removal of the womb, ovaries and fallopian tubes.

Chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery to target the cancer cells. If surgery is not a viable option, chemotherapy may be used alone. Targeted therapies can be used which include a drug treatment which blocks the cancer from growing and this can be used for as long as it works.

If you have a relapse of the ovarian cancer, your consultants will consider the treatment you before and usually chemotherapy and targeted treatment will be used. Surgery may be an option again and there may be additional treatment including hormonal therapy and radiotherapy.

Support

Should you or a family member be experiencing ovarian cancer and are struggling to come to terms with the diagnosis, you will find on the Macmillan website the details of various support organisations, including Eve Appeal, Ovacome and Target Ovarian Cancer: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/ovarian-cancer