WELLBEING
MORE THAN 1,200 women are diagnosed with a form of gynaecological cancer each year in Ireland, causing 13 per cent of cancer-related deaths. But only one in seven women can name a single type.
‘Women often tell us the first they hear of a gynae cancer is when they’re diagnosed with one,’ says Athena Lamnisos, CEO of The Eve Appeal, a charity that raises awareness and funds research into the five gynae cancers: womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal.
As with all cancers, the earlier gynae cancers are diagnosed, the better the prognosis is.
‘The five-year survival rate after diagnosis of ovarian cancer is 46 per cent. If women are diagnosed at stage one, this would rise to 90 per cent – but less than a third of cases are found then,’ Athena says.
The underlying problem is that women do not report signs and symptoms to their doctors. In a survey by The Eve Appeal, the most common reason was deeming symptoms ‘not serious enough’ and embarrassment – nearly one in five women say that they worry about seeing a male doctor. (NB You can always ask to see a woman doctor.)
‘If there are changes to your normal cycle or you have a niggling worry, it is vital to talk to your doctor,’ Dr Bella Smith says. If you are not sure what to say or want to find out the correct terminology (‘down there’ is a bit vague and pet names can be misleading), online resources such as the Irish Cancer Society (cancer.ie) can help.
Athena also advises to ‘ask for a referral to a specialist if you’ve seen your GP more than three times for symptoms specific to gynae health issues’.