Just an itch? Spotting signs of gynaecological cancers

The female body can do incredible things, from periods to menopause, but few of us would say that it’s an easy and predictable ride.

Which is why symptoms of the five gynaecological cancers – ovarian, womb, cervical, vaginal and vulval cancer – are easily missed.

From bleeding outside of your period to unexplained weight loss, it isn’t always easy to recognise the warning signs of a gynaecological cancer, which is why so many women are diagnosed far too late and tragically lose their lives.

However, the earlier a gynaecological cancer is detected and treated, the better quality of life and better chances of survival a woman has. This is why cancer screening and visiting a healthcare professional as soon as possible is so important – even during a global pandemic!

So, on Thursday 24th September, Wellbeing of Women and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) have teamed up with gynaecological cancer experts Professor Sudha Sundar, Dr Pierre Martin-Hirsch and Dr David Jeevan will take us through the well-known – and not-so-well-known – symptoms of these devastating diseases so we can catch them before it’s too late, and find out what happens next if we are diagnosed.

Dr David Jeevan, a senior registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, will also focus on the ‘silent killer’ ovarian cancer and talk about his pioneering research into finding a better test for the disease which takes the lives of eight women in the UK every day.

Have a question for the panel? Before the event, email [email protected] with any questions you might have about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, and they’ll do their best to answer them at the end of the session.

If you want to understand your body better and know when it’s time to visit a GP, sign up now and we look forward to seeing you there.