Welfare Wednesday

Welcome back to Women’s health month!

This week we are shining a light on a topic that is often not spoken about - Ovarian Cancer.

This is the 6th most common type of cancer found in women, with around 7,500 women being diagnosed with it each year in the UK. The symptoms of ovarian cancer are not always obvious and therefore it is often diagnosed late.

Ovarian cancer is when abnormal cells in the ovary begin to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way. Eventually they will form a growth (tumour). If it is not caught early, cancer cells gradually grow into the surrounding tissues and may spread around the body. There are different types of ovarian cancer. The type of ovarian cancer you have depends on the type of cell it starts in.

The risk of developing Ovarian cancer increases as you get older and it is more prevalent in women over the age 50, however this does NOT mean it CAN’T be found in younger women.

The main symptoms to look out for:

🩷 Swollen tummy or feeling bloated

🩷 Pain/tenderness in your tummy

🩷 No appetite or feeling full quickly after eating

🩷 Urgent need for the toilet or going more frequently

Please note that for these to be considered as ovarian cancer symptoms they would occur frequently - roughly 12 or more times a month.

Other symptoms may include:

🩷 Indigestion

🩷 Constipation or diarrhoea

🩷 Back pain

🩷 Feeling tired all the time

🩷 Losing weight without trying

🩷 Bleeding from the vagina after the menopause

If you would like more information please visit the cancer research website or the NHS website.

If you are worried you MUST make an appointment with your GP

The Welfare Team 🩷