Common things occur commonly. But rare things do occur

Being human means having symptoms – every day. Some symptoms are so common as to be almost universal - I am confident everyone reading this has been bloated. The problem occurs when an illness mimics our everyday experience. We often ignore common symptoms until they become severe, and the illness presents “late” i.e., at an advanced stage.

8 May was World Ovarian Cancer Day. Bloating is this cancer’s predominant symptom and that often means it presents late. Early ovarian cancer is readily treatable –the later stages not quite so treatable.

Doctors like acronyms – there is a lot to remember and they make it easier. Ovarian cancer has BEACH. B for bloating. E for early satiety i.e., feeling full too easily. A for abdominal or pelvic pain and C and H for changes in bowel or bladder habits. Who gets this type of tumour? Being over 50 is a risk factor with half of all cases being over 65yrs of age. A family history of bowel or breast cancer, treatment for a previous tumour and HRT all increase risk. Females who started having periods early or had a late menopause or who had no children are all at increased risk. As usual for many illnesses, smoking and being overweight increase the risk. There are more details at nhs.uk.

Females who started having periods early or had a late menopause or who had no children are all at increased risk.

Once suspected, the diagnosis or hopefully the exclusion of the illness, is relatively easy – it usually involves blood tests and a scan.

Ovarian cysts always remind me of my student days. One consultant was widely feared and l was to spend my first morning with him in theatre. He gave me a pen, “Write the classification of ovarian cysts on that board for me,” he said. He’d asked the previous student the same question – and they had told me. I proceeded to reproduce the textbook on the whiteboard with a wide grin on my face!