My guest on the show this evening was Ms Desiree Kolomainen, Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist at Spire Hartswood Hospital.
She specialises in cancers of the female reproductive organs, including ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and cervical cancer. Tomorrow is World Ovarian Cancer Day.
It’s important to educate women on the subject because 80% of women don’t know the symptoms, and many women think that it can be detected in a smear test.
The symptoms are ; persistent stomach pain, persistent bloating, difficulty in eating or feeling full quickly, needing to pee more often, back pain and tiredness.
If you have been experiencing some of these symptoms you can arrange for tests. These include a physical examination to feel for lumps and bumps, a CA125 blood test or a pelvic ultrasound scan.
Treating ovarian cancer often involves surgery followed by chemotherapy, but some women may need chemotherapy before surgery. Surgery is important because it is the only way to remove the cancer from the body.
Ifyou are experiencing any of the symptoms then book an appointment with your GP straight away, or book a private consultation at the Hartswood Hospital.