People think they know a lot about conditions like cancer, but there’s always more to learn.
NHS GP Doctor Shireen, who regularly shares health tips on her TikTok channel, has recently highlighted the dangers of a cancer that is often diagnosed “too late” because people assume there’s “nothing wrong” with them.
In an effort to raise awareness, she posted a video outlining the symptoms people should be vigilant about when it comes to their health.
Doctor Shireen explained: “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.
“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.”
She added: “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 or need to pass urine more frequently.
“The issue is women might put their 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 always 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.”
She encouraged women to raise awareness and discuss the condition with family and friends. According to her, the initial medical evaluation is not difficult; however, the patient has to see a doctor for an assessment first.
The presence of these symptoms does not always indicate ovarian cancer but, if you experience persistent symptoms or they worsen, please seek medical attention.
Ovarian cancer – what you need to know
To learn about ovarian cancer, NHS lists the frequent symptoms, which include (about 12 times or more a month):
- 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
There are also other symptoms you can experience, which include:
- Indigestion
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Back pain
- Feeling tired all the time
- Losing weight without trying
- Bleeding from the vagina after the menopause