A CANCER support charity is supporting Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and encouraging women to visit their doctor if they notice symptoms associated with the disease.


With this month highlighting the disease, as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Macmillan Cancer Support is encouraging women to go to their doctor if they notice any regular symptoms, such as feeling bloated, pain or discomfort and weight gain or loss.


Katy Horton-Fawkes, Macmillan gynae oncology specialist nurse at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Because the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be mistaken for symptoms of other non-cancerous conditions, there can be sometimes be a delay in diagnosis.


"The earlier any cancer is diagnosed, the greater chance there is of survival so it is important that if you develop any of these symptoms and they occur on a regular basis, you get them checked by your doctor.


“Do remember many of these symptoms are common to other conditions so experiencing them does not mean you have cancer. However, if they persist then it is important that they are checked appropriately.”

Around 7,100 women will receive a diagnosis of ovarian cancer every year, but sometimes it can go undetected for too long.

These conditions may include feeling bloated (having a swollen tummy), feeling full quickly and/or loss of appetite, pain or discomfort in the lower tummy area and/or back, needing to pass urine more often or more urgently (feeling like you can’t hold on), changes in bowel habits (diarrhoea or constipation), pain during sex, weight gain or weight loss and unexplained or extreme tiredness.


For support and more information call the charity on 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk.