Doctor addresses major ovarian cancer myth and the 4 symptoms you should never ignore

A doctor has shut down the myth that ovarian cancer can’t be detected until its later stages and shared some of the key early red flags to keep an eye out for.

As outlined by the NHS, ovarian cancer mostly affects women over the age of 50 but can affect anyone who has ovaries.

It's characterised by abnormal cells in the ovary, fallopian tube or peritoneum, which grow and divide in an uncontrolled way, forming a tumour. If it’s not caught early, the cancer cells gradually grow into the surrounding tissues and may spread to other areas of the body, which is why early detection is so important.

Women’s health GP Dr Nighat Arif took to Instagram to urge people to be aware of the key symptoms you should never ignore - no matter your age.

A women's health GP has issued a reminder on how crucial it is to know the signs of ovarian cancer (Getty Stock Image)

She explained in a video: “I picked up ovarian cancer in its early stages in a 28-year-old – and this isn’t a bragging post. Upon reflection, I did make a few mistakes, and I’m humble enough to put up my hands and say that not everything went smoothly with this patient - and I’ve got consent from her to share this.’

The GP urged: “The reason I’m making this post is to let you know that it is possible to pick up ovarian cancer early if you know the symptoms early enough.”

She outlined ‘four main ovarian cancer symptoms that should never be missed’ and instructed people to pay attention to them, as ‘early detection can save your life’.

According to Ovarian Cancer Action, ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a later stage, when survival is at its lowest. However, a woman has a 95 per cent chance of surviving ovarian cancer when diagnosed early.

The first symptom that Dr Arif brought up in her video was persistent bloating that ‘doesn’t come and go but is persistent and lasts longer than three weeks’.

The expert has highlighted that needing to pee more urgently and frequently can be an important warning sign (Getty Stock Image)

Secondly, you should see a GP if you’re having difficulty eating or feeling full more quickly.

The expert advised: “Again, this doesn’t come and go, but this is something that stays longer and is persistent for more than three weeks.”

The third symptom is needing to pee more frequently, as Dr Arif elaborated: “So for example, this is something that’s never happened to you before, but suddenly, you’re feeling a pressure over your bladder, and you’ve got the urgency. You urgently need to go and pass urine all the time.”

Finally, women should keep an eye on any pain in the tummy and upper thighs.

“So feeling like this pressure in your lower back and also around your thighs and this new pain is something you’ve never had or experienced before,” the doctor said.

She encouraged: “If any of those symptoms ring a bell and you’re like, gosh, that’s something that’s happening to me or somebody I know, please go and get checked because age is never the determining factor for picking up ovarian cancer early.”

Tummy and upper thigh pain are also symptoms to look out for (Getty Stock Image)

Other symptoms to look out for include feeling exhausted, losing weight without trying, lower back pain, finding yourself to be more irritable, sleeping a lot more, and finding that you’ve got no energy levels.

The GP explained that there are simple tests that can be done to detect ovarian cancer early, such as a transvaginal ultrasound scan and a blood test called CA125 which ‘might be some of the first investigaitons your doctor might want to think about’.

She reassured: “It’s important to know that you’re not wasting anyone’s time; GPs like myself and my colleagues want to hear from you. Ask about ovarian cancer specifically and keep a note of your symptoms.”

The doctor added in the caption: “It’s important to know a CA125 and an ultrasound scan can come back normal. So if the tests are normal - STILL continue to track the symptoms and depending on the symptoms, risk factors etc a referral to a gynaecologist might be needed for a further investigations such as CT, MRI or a Ovarian biopsy (a procedure where a small sample of tissue from the ovary is removed to check for abnormalities, most commonly to diagnose or stage ovarian cancer.”

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.