GPs miss early signs of ovarian cancer

GP's often fail to recognise the early symptoms of ovarian cancer which may lead to more women dying from the disease, according to the results of a new survey released today.

Each year around 6,800 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Although it is the second most common gynaecological cancer after the cancer of the uterus, it is far deadlier.

Unlike breast and uterine cancer, the five year survival rate of 30% for ovarian cancer has remained the same over the past 30 years. But, if caught in the early stages of disease, up to 90% of women live for more than five years.

The Pathfinder Study, carried out for the charity Target Ovarian Cancer, surveyed 400 GP's, 1000 women and 132 ovarian cancer patients about the early stages of the illness.

It found that 80% of GP's questioned wrongly thought that early stage ovarian cancer did not have any symptoms, and only 27% were aware of recent government guidelines outlining what symptoms to look out for.

It also revealed that doctors often mistook early ovarian cancer symptoms for those of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), resulting in women being referred for gastric tests, delaying the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

At the same time, 61% of GP's were unaware that a strong history of ovarian cancer on the father's side of the family could indicate a woman may be at a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

In the survey, the GP's lack of awareness of the early signs of ovarian cancer was backed up by patients' experiences.

Nearly two thirds of the 132 women with ovarian cancer interviewed thought their doctor did not take their concerns and symptoms seriously, and 37% had to visit their GP three to five times before being referred to a specialist.

When IBS was suspected as being the cause of symptoms, 44% of the women waited more than six months for a correct diagnosis. Most women surveyed were also ignorant of the early signs of disease.

Only 4% could very confidently identify one symptom of ovarian cancer. Although 24% of women correctly identified abdominal pain, the most common symptom of ovarian cancer - increased abdominal size - went largely unrecognised.

The most common symptoms of early ovarian cancer include persistent abdominal pain, increased abdominal size and persistent bloating (not bloating which comes and goes) and difficulty eating and feeling full quickly.

The results of the Target Ovarian Cancer Pathfinder Study are due to be presented today at the House of Commons.

More information on ovarian cancer: www.targetovarian.org

This article was published on Mon 29 June 2009