Six 'camouflaged' symptoms of deadly womb cancer - and they're often brushed off

25 September 2023 , 11:36

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Campaigners have warned there are several symptoms which can be mistaken for something else (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)

Women have been urged to "spot check" their knowledge of womb cancer as symptoms can often be "camouflaged".

Campaigners have warned common indicators of the disease can often be missed after it was revealed that nearly a quarter of people have never heard of womb cancer. Despite the disease being named the fourth most common in women in the UK, it is often not picked up until an advanced stage.

It comes as nearly 10,000 people are diagnosed with it every year, with 2,500 dying with the disease. Of those who are diagnosed early, some 90 percent survive. The Eve Appeal and Peaches Womb Cancer Trust believe the survival rate could dramatically be improved if women widen their knowledge about the main signs.

It has been reported that 43 percent of women are unaware that blood is an indicator of the disease, reports The Sun. Blood can show up after sex, appear in vaginal discharge or urine. Bleeding ahead of menopause and after menopause (including spotting) is also an indicator.

Other symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain
• Pain in the back, legs or pelvis
• Loss of appetite
• Tiredness
• Nausea

There can be confusion with the symptoms as some of them indicate low oestrogen levels or a response to hormone replacement therapy. They can also signal conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids or polyps.

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Professor Emma Crosbie, president of Peaches Womb Cancer Trust, said: "Despite womb cancer being the most common of the gynaecological cancers in the UK, our survey reveals that one in four women in the UK have never heard of or are unsure if they have heard of womb cancer. A worryingly high number of people are not familiar with the most common 'red flag' symptoms."

It has been reported that most patients diagnosed with womb cancer are over the age of 40 as the risk increases with age. However, it can appear at any stage of life. Most people diagnosed with womb cancer, also called uterine or endometrial cancer, are over the age of 40 as the risk increases with age. But it can happen at any stage of life. Treatment can vary but most patients can have surgery to remove their womb and cervix.

Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of The Eve Appeal, said: "We want everyone to feel educated and empowered when it comes to their health, and that means knowing more about the most common gynaecological cancer in the UK, womb cancer. If you have any abnormal bleeding, don’t be embarrassed to visit your GP and push for answers to rule out womb cancer."

Monica Charsley