A GP has disclosed that one particular type of cancer causes her significant concern because it presents with “non-specific” symptoms that many people think signify minor ailments. Dr Shireen utilised her TikTok platform @doctorshireen to educate about ovarian cancer, explaining how its often vague signs can be mistaken for conditions like urine infections or menopause effects.
In her TikTok video, the doctor highlighted various indicators of ovarian cancer and implored people to not dismiss these potential warning signals. She further encouraged the sharing of this crucial information and urged viewers to consult their GPs if experiencing any of the mentioned symptoms.
Dr Shireen emphasised the relative ease of initial testing for ovarian cancer but stressed the importance of a preliminary GP consultation.
In her video, she said: “I’m an NHS GP and there is one cancer that really worries me. The reason it worries me is because the signs and symptoms of it are often so non- specific that people don’t realise that there’s something wrong.”
She elaborated on this point: “By non specific, I mean it’s a symptom that can have many different causes and a lot of the causes are often benign. The cancer that I’m talking about is ovarian cancer,” reports the Mirror.
She added details on typical symptoms by saying: “So typically ovarian cancer causes symptoms like bloating, just generally feeling unwell, abdominal discomfort, pelvic discomfort, feeling full quickly after meals or feeling like an urge and need to pass urine more frequently.
“The issue is women might put those symptoms down to being perimenopausal, menopausal. It might be something they’ve eaten, they might think they’ve got a grumbling urine infection.
“Unfortunately, ovarian cancer isn’t often on the top of priorities and as a result, they might present too late. And we know with cancer, the sooner you present, the better in terms of prognosis.
“So please pass this on to your mums, your sisters, your friends, your wives. Know it yourself what the symptoms can be.
“For us as GPs, if someone comes in with those symptoms, we would do a blood test to check for a tumour marker called CA125 and also to do an ultrasound scan.
“So it is really quite easy for us to do the preliminary test to check for it, but we need people to come in.”
The doctor added: “I appreciate it’s hard to see your GP. Don’t come at me in the comments. I appreciate that. But if you are having those symptoms, please – e-consult, telephone call, face to face appointment. Just speak to someone.”
According to the NHS, ovarian cancer can affect anyone who has ovaries, the two small organs that store the eggs needed to make babies. Sometimes ovarian cancer runs in families and mostly affects women over the age of 50.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer, such as bloating, are not always obvious. Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late, but early diagnosis can mean it is more treatable.
According to the NHS website, even if you’ve had your ovaries removed, you can still develop ovarian cancer as it can also affect your fallopian tubes or the lining inside your abdomen (peritoneum).
Symptoms of ovarian cancer
Symptoms of ovarian cancer include frequently (roughly 12 or more times a month) having:
- a swollen tummy or feeling bloated
- pain or tenderness in your tummy or the area between the hips (pelvis)
- no appetite or feeling full quickly after eating
- an urgent need to pee or needing to pee more often
- indigestion
- constipation or diarrhoea
- back pain
- feeling tired all the time
- losing weight without trying
- bleeding from the vagina after the menopause