Don't ignore tummy symptoms
Ovarian cancer survivor Natasha Sims is back in the swing of things despite just finishing her chemotherapy.
The 49-year-old grandmother of three says she does not take any day for granted since finally being diagnosed with stage 3B ovarian cancer last year after numerous visits to doctors.
She went to various doctors with bloating and underwent tests for urinary tract infections for almost a year before going to a hospital emergency department with chest pains.
Doctors found a 9cm tumour on an ovary.
Read the ovarian cancer fact sheet
New research shows almost half of women with ovarian cancer go to their GP with symptoms at least twice before being referred to a specialist, with some doctors telling women they just need to eat more fibre.
The study of 183 women with ovarian cancer found that 47 per cent made two or more visits to a GP before being referred and 18 per cent were diagnosed after presenting at an emergency department with severe symptoms.
Ovarian Cancer Australia director of research and advocacy Katherine Nielsen said women and GPs needed to act on the symptoms for the best possible chance of an early diagnosis.
"If GPs don't recognise the symptoms of ovarian cancer, diagnoses will continue to be unnecessarily delayed in many cases," she said.
"One respondent saw her GP four times and his response was to eat more fibre and other women told of being repeatedly investigated for irritable bowel syndrome."
Ms Sims went to the doctor several times with symptoms but admits she was working long hours and went to different GPs who would not have known her medical history.
"I would say to other women make sure you report the symptoms and don't let them be ignored," she said.
She is grateful to the Women and Infants Research Foundation and the WA Gynaecologic Cancer Service and Research Centre, which use a bio-specimen bank to investigate molecular and genetic causes of cervical and ovarian cancers.
For details, visit the website wirf.com.au/gynaecologiconcology
