Women under 50 urged to learn the ovarian cancer symptoms a GP may miss

Women under 50 are being urged to be more vigilant for signs of ovarian cancer – the highest cause of cancer deaths in Aussie females. See what to look for.

A group of women under 50 are uniting to urge other women to be more aware of ovarian cancer when they have persistent, unexplained symptoms.

Concern the highest cause of cancer death among women in Australia isn’t picked up early enough in younger women because it’s more common in post-menopausal women has driven them to act.

Victorian vet nurse Hannah Catton, 25, says it took a year for her symptoms of bloating, painful periods and urinary tract infections to be diagnosed in October 2021.

“One doctor said my BMI was in the overweight section and that I should focus on eating healthily and keeping up with exercise,” Catton says.

“But I horse-ride three times a week, walk the dogs and pole dance. I’m pretty fit.’’

The symptoms persisted so she saw a gynaecologist who detected a 10cm mass on her uterus. Even then, cancer wasn’t considered, and it was thought to be a fibroid.

Educating other women under 50 about ovarian cancer symptoms are (from left to right) Hannah Catton, Kerrie-Lee Simmons, Donna Jones and Sue Sheedy.

Four months later she collapsed in acute abdominal pain, assuming it was period pain but after a few days it hadn’t subsided, so she went to emergency when tests revealed it was ovarian cancer.

“By the time they operated the mass was 20cm,” she says.

“I hate to think how it could have continued growing if they didn’t take it out. My age played a massive role in the delayed diagnosis, but I want all women to know that we know our bodies best.”

Catton is presently in the clear and had her eggs frozen but it’s been a massive emotional adjustment, mourning the loss of her young body.

BE VIGILANT

Ovarian Cancer Australia CEO Jane Hill says younger women face unique challenges when diagnosed.

“It’s a very difficult disease for all women but younger women face that fertility issue and early menopause,” Hill says.

“It’s important to know women of all ages can get this and the average time between first going to the doctor with symptoms and being diagnosed is 32 weeks. It’s very tough for GPs when a woman presents with pelvic pain because most GPs will diagnose ovarian cancer twice in their whole careers.

“So, we have to be vigilant ourselves about any changes in our bodies. Things that are new or persistent need to be checked.”

Donna Jones, 47, of Sydney always wanted children so the diagnosis of ovarian cancer when she was 45 was a cruel blow.

“I had heavy bleeding and bad period pain, ending up in emergency but was told I was probably transitioning to menopause,” Jones says.

Women under 50 are being urged to be more vigilant for signs of ovarian cancer.

“On the second trip to emergency I was referred to a gynaecologist who wanted to do a hysterectomy. I didn’t want to have the surgery because I always wanted to be a mum and had met this wonderful man and questioned it up until the day of the surgery.

“But that’s when they found an aggressive tumour in my fallopian tube and if they hadn’t found it, the ovarian cancer would have progressed to stage 3.”

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Sue Sheedy, 50, of Sydney is the first to admit she knew nothing about ovarian cancer and wouldn’t have considered it as an explanation for her symptoms of extreme bloating, nausea, headaches and UTIs.

It took four years for her stage 3 ovarian cancer to be diagnosed in August 2021.

“The terrible thing is that I wouldn’t have been able to tell you anything about ovarian cancer and friends have said the same thing,” Sheedy says.

“It’s so important to educate women to get the blood test especially and scans. If one person can be aware of that and it can save their life, it would be so great.”

It was also a “rude shock’’ for mum of four Kerrie-Lee Simmons, 43, of Queensland when she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in October 2021. A seven-hour operation found various growths in her abdomen.

“I’m cancer free now but I’m always in two frames of mind,” she says.

”I just thought my bad pain and frequent urination were UTIs so I was doing all of my pelvic floor exercises but wasn’t getting better. I had to keep going back to the doctor and suggest every woman does that if there’s something wrong.”

Fashion retailer Black Pepper is featuring these women in a campaign across their 80 stores including their store windows this February to coincide with Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. They will also donate $10 from the sale of every specially designed scarf and blouse to Ovarian Cancer Australia, aiming to raise $100,000.

Abdominal pain is a sign of ovarian cancer.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS?

There’s no early detection test for ovarian cancer so it’s important to be aware of symptoms:

1. Increased abdominal size or persistent abdominal bloating.

2. Abdominal or lower tummy pain.

3. Feeling full after a small amount.

4. Needing to urinate often or urgently.

ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS:

1. Changes in bowel habits.

2. Unexplained weight loss or gain.

3. Excessive fatigue.

4. Lower back pain.

5. Indigestion or nausea.

6. Bleeding after menopause of between periods.

7. Pain during sex or bleeding after.

Originally published as Women under 50 urged to learn the ovarian cancer symptoms a GP may miss