BLOATING: WHEN TO BE CONCERNED

BLOATI NG

IS SUCH a usual symptom for women that many take it for granted. But it is also the most common symptom of ovarian cancer, warns the ovarian cancer support charity Ovacome (ovacome.org.uk). ‘Women often dismiss it as being something less sinister and don’t go to their doctor,’ says Louise Bayne, CEO of Ovacome.

The trouble is that even if women do consult their doctor, a recent survey of 324 patients for Ovacome suggested that a significant number are treated for irritable bowel disease or the menopause. ‘Persistent bloating is an important indicator of ovarian cancer but GPs will typically see just one case of ovarian cancer every five years so they may not link it to the disease.’

Patients in the survey who had gone to their GP with bloating had waited an average of 22 weeks for a referral to a gynaecological specialist. If they complained of abdominal pain, the second most common symptom of ovarian cancer, they waited an average 17 weeks.

Although ovarian cancer is the fifth most common gynaecological cancer in the UK, with 7,300 new cases every year, nearly 60 per cent of cases are not diagnosed until the disease has advanced to stage 3 or 4, where the cancer has spread and is difficult to treat effectively. ‘Ovarian cancer needs to be ruled out early on, instead of wasting time,’ says Louise Baynes.