Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 2019

March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

When a woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the earliest stage, her chance of surviving ovarian cancer for 5 years or more doubles from just 46% to more than 90%.

However, nearly half of GPs mistakenly believe symptoms only present in the later stages of the disease, and less than a third of woman in the UK are confident they know the symptoms.

The 4 main symptoms of ovarian cancer are:

• Persistent stomach pain.
• Persistent bloating
• Difficulty eating/feeling full more quickly
• Needing to wee more frequently

Other ovarian cancer symptoms include: back pain, changes in bowel habits and extreme tiredness for no obvious reason.

Delayed diagnoses for ovarian cancer are very common due to the failure to recognise symptoms, lack of GP knowledge on the subject and delays in acquiring the right diagnostic tests.   This can result in woman only reaching Hospital Cancer Specialists when their cancer is already too severe to be treated.   Women who receive their ovarian cancer at a later stage may be unable to endure the invasive surgery and chemotherapy required for treatment.

To succeed in a medical negligence claim for delay diagnosis of ovarian cancer, we would need to prove that the delay has affected the overall outcome, i.e. the delay has caused the cancer to progress to a more advanced stage.

If you feel you have had a delay in your diagnosis of ovarian cancer, our expert medical negligence solicitors have a wealth of experience to discuss your concerns further.    If you would like to speak to one of our experienced Solicitors, please contact Williamsons Solicitors on 01482 323697.