On 8th May 2023, World Ovarian Cancer Day, CLuB Co-Investigator Dr. Sharon O’Toole, an expert in Ovarian Cancer and its associated research, delivered a highly informative interviewon RTE’s Morning Ireland about ovarian cancer and its symptoms.
Dr. O’Toole, coordinator of the World Ovarian Cancer Day Campaign at the Irish Network for Gynaecological Oncology (INGO), also spoke to Jennifer Zamparelli on RTE 2FM about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in Ireland with around 400 cases diagnosed every year and 300 women dying from it every year. During her interview Dr O’Toole conveyed that one of the difficulties of diagnosing ovarian cancer is that the symptoms can be vague and are often confused with digestive issues.
The campaign focussed on increasing awareness of symptoms using the BEAT acronym; bloating, eating difficulties, abdominal pain, toilet changes. This followed the stark findings in the INGO commissioned survey that 4 out of 5 women in Ireland were not confident to recognise the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
She advised women who experience BEAT symptoms that persist for more than three weeks to see their GP.
