Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 2021: emphasising the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment

Posted: 25/03/2021

March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The event was set up to increase public understanding of the symptoms of the disease, with the hope of generating more early diagnoses as a result and thereby saving lives.

Every year, 7400 women across the UK are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is more common in post-menopausal women, but can also occur in those who are pre-menopausal; every woman individually faces a 2% risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer at some point within her lifetime. It is therefore critical that women of all ages are aware of the associated symptoms as an early diagnosis can significantly better a patient’s outcome and offers the possibility of the cancer being cured. Sadly, it has been reported that women with ovarian cancer often require three or more appointments with their GP before they are referred for specific testing.

Symptoms

The common symptoms that can present due to ovarian cancer are listed below (although it is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list of all possible symptoms):

• persistent bloating;
• feeling full quickly/loss of appetite;
• pelvic and/or abdominal pain; and
• stress urinary frequency (the need to go to the toilet more often).

There are other, less frequent symptoms that can also indicate the presence of ovarian cancer. These include:

• change in bowel habits;
• extreme fatigue;
• unexplained weight loss; and
• bleeding after menopause.

The NICE guidelines recommend that a GP should carry out tests, including blood tests, on women that report experiencing these symptoms more than 12 times in a month. Testing is particularly encouraged in women over the age of 50.

Early diagnosis is key, and with the current pandemic, more people are putting off seeking medical attention when suffering from recurrent symptoms. While Covid-19 has caused a delay in treatment for some health conditions, cancer treatment is still going ahead. If an individual is experiencing any of the symptoms referred to above, it is recommended that they seek medical advice without delay.

The clinical negligence team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has experience of claims where there has been a delay in diagnosis of ovarian cancer and/or a delay in instigating treatment. Delays can lead to the cancer spreading, resulting in the need for treatment that could have otherwise been avoided, and can have an adverse effect on prognosis.

Recently, the team advised on a claim in which there was a delay in proceeding to surgery after the decision to remove an ovarian cyst had been made, leading to the claimant suffering a 13.5 week period of unnecessary pain. The medical expert assisting with the case stated that once cancer was (correctly) suspected, surgery should have taken place within 31 days of the decision to remove the cyst. Instead, there was an undue delay in proceeding to the operation and therefore a delay in diagnosis.

As well as delays in diagnosis and/or commencing treatment, the clinical negligence team also advises on cases relating to cancers that have been misdiagnosed. This is something that is common with ovarian cancer. In lots of cases the symptoms are put down to IBS, diverticulitis, ovarian cysts, urinary tract infections or changing menopausal status. Sadly, a misdiagnosis can result in cancer spreading and this significantly impacts both treatment options and prognosis.

By raising awareness of the symptoms through Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, it is hoped that this will lead to quicker diagnosis times and save lives in the future.

If you think you, or someone else that you know, may have experienced a delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis of ovarian cancer, the specialist oncology team within the clinical negligence practice at Penningtons Manches Cooper would be happy to have an informal, no obligation conversation with you to assess your options.

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