An emergency doctor has issued a stark warning about four symptoms that could signal a potentially fatal cancer responsible for the deaths of 2,500 women in the UK annually. The medical professional advises seeking immediate GP consultation upon noticing any of these indicators.
Taking to the popular social media platform TikTok, Doctor Suraj Kukadia, also known as Dr Sooj, raised awareness about endometrial cancer, commonly referred to as womb cancer. This type of cancer ranks as the fourth most prevalent among UK women and is the eighth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among that group.
Early detection of symptoms is crucial for improving the odds of successful treatment, but the challenge lies in the fact that the signs of this cancer can easily be overlooked or misinterpreted as less serious conditions. Dr Kukadia outlined the symptoms to watch out for. He said: “Here are four signs of endometrial or womb cancer.”
“Number one, bleeding between your periods. Number two, a change in your period. For example, they may become heavier or last for a longer period of time.
“Number three, unusual discharge down below. And number four, bleeding after the menopause.” He stressed the importance of consulting a GP if these symptoms present themselves.
This advice is supported by Cancer Research UK, which highlights that “the most common symptom of womb cancer is abnormal bleeding from the vagina”, particularly in women who have gone through menopause, as stated on their website.
It also notes that bleeding that is unusually heavy or persistent between periods, and an abnormal vaginal discharge that “might be pink” could be warning signs of the disease. But it adds that these can be symptoms of other medical issues such as:
- Bleeding with no obvious underlying cause, also called dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- Endometriosis
- Thickening of the womb lining (endometrial hyperplasia)
- Growths (polyps) in the womb lining
- Fibroids.
According to Cancer Research UK, other signs to look out for include:
- Bloating
- Tummy (abdominal) pain
- A swollen tummy
- High platelet count (thrombocytosis)
- A new cough
- A change in bowel or bladder habits
- Low red blood cell level (anaemia)
- High blood sugar level.
The charity advises: “If you have any of these symptoms, you must get them checked by your GP. But remember, they can all be caused by other conditions. Most people with these symptoms don’t have womb cancer.”
Furthermore, certain risk factors may elevate the odds of developing endometrial cancer, with being overweight or obese identified as the most significant preventable risk factor associated with a third of womb cancer cases.