Ovarian cancer calls

Galloway and West Dumfries member Finlay Carson joined Target Ovarian Cancer in the Scottish Parliament to mark their major new Pathfinder Scotland report.
It warns that awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms among women in Scotland is alarmingly low, leaving women without knowledge that could save lives.
Their research found:
* Just one in five women in Scotland (17 per cent) could name bloating as a major symptom of ovarian cancer
* Over one third (36 per cent) of women visit their GP three times or more before being referred for ovarian cancer tests.
* One in three women (31 per cent) wrongly assumes that cervical screening also detects ovarian cancer.
Around 600 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Scotland every year, and 360 women lose their lives to the disease.
Although Scotland leads the way in ovarian cancer diagnosis and care in the UK, awareness of the symptoms among GPs and women is still low.
And Target Ovarian Cancer wants the Scottish Government to launch a new Detect Cancer Early awareness campaign to ensure women know the symptoms and the importance of going to their GP.
Mr Carson said: “I’m really pleased to be at the Pathfinder Scotland event to ensure that all women in Scotland with ovarian cancer get the care, support and new treatments that are needed, so that women’s lives are transformed, now and in future.”
Rebecca Rennison, from Target Ovarian Cancer, said: “Women need the right support, from detection through diagnosis to treatment of ovarian cancer.”
To find out more, visit www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/PathfinderScotland