Monday, 11 March 2024

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is in March. This year, we're more determined than ever to dispel common myths about ovarian cancer.

Five things every woman needs to know:

The disease is not silent – there are key symptoms which are both persistent and occur frequently from the offset which may indicate you have ovarian cancer. These are: bloating, abdominal pain, needing to wee more often and feeling full quickly.
Cervical screening does not detect ovarian cancer – go for your cervical screening when invited, but also be aware that this does not detect ovarian cancer. Get to know the symptoms of ovarian cancer and if concerned, see your GP.
Ovarian cancer doesn't discriminate - you can have ovarian cancer at any age but post-menopausal women and those over 50 are at a higher risk.
You can get ovarian cancer even if you’ve had a hysterectomy - you may still have your ovaries, despite having a hysterectomy. If you ever had or have ovaries and experience the above symptoms, see your GP.
A family history of cancer, on either side, is important - a common misconception is that hereditary ovarian cancer is only passed down the maternal line, this is not the case. You could be at high risk if you have two or more cases of breast and/or ovarian cancer in your family history.