You might have seen our Peace of Mind campaign on social media, or heard us on the local radio. At the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Cancer Alliance, we are raising awareness of the early signs of cancer, and empowering people to see their GP without delay if they are experiencing these symptoms.
This ‘Peace of Mind’ approach shifts the focus from fearing the worst to understanding that seeing your GP promptly could provide information and answers that ease your worries. It assures people that even if the outcome is a cancer diagnosis, catching it early is better than waiting. Together, we're striving for peace of mind, knowing we're taking proactive steps to keep everyone healthy.
Read more about the Peace of Mind campaign here.
Around 9,700 women are diagnosed with womb cancer in the UK each year. This makes womb cancer the 4th most common cancer in women in the UK*.
The womb is where a baby grows during pregnancy. Womb cancer is sometimes called uterine cancer by doctors as uterus is the medical name for the womb. Most womb cancer usually starts in the lining of the womb (endometrium), and so you may also hear it called endometrial cancer.
Womb cancer is most common in women who have been through menopause, but it is important to know that anyone with a womb can get womb cancer.
More details on ovarian cancer can be found below.
The main symptoms of womb cancer can include:
Other symptoms of womb cancer can include:
Many of the early signs and symptoms of womb cancer are common, and so may be caused by other conditions. For this reason, womb cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage.
Having any of these symptoms does not definitely mean you have womb cancer. But it's important to get the symptoms checked by a GP.
This campaign seeks to normalise people going to their GP if they notice anything unusual to them for a ‘Peace of Mind’ check.
If it is cancer, discovering it early, when it isn’t too large and hasn’t spread, improves the chances of successful treatment - finding cancer early helps save lives.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, or notice anything unusual for you, please don't hesitate to see your GP or practice nurse, even if you're concerned about what your symptoms might be.
Keep persisting to secure an appointment, as addressing your worry is crucial and unlikely to go away without seeking professional help.
Conversations with your GP are confidential, and you should not be embarrassed to share your symptoms with them – they are used to discussing intimate problems and will try to put you at ease.
During your appointment, the GP or practice nurse will inquire about your health, family medical history, medical conditions and any symptoms you may be experiencing. Be sure to tell the GP if you or your family have any history of cancer or Lynch syndrome.
Depending on the situation, they may request to conduct an examination. If you prefer, you can request a female doctor or nurse when scheduling your appointment. Additionally, you have the option to bring a friend or family member for support, or you can ask the practice for a chaperone to accompany you during the examination. During the examination, you will be asked to undress from the waist down behind a screen, and you'll be provided with a sheet for privacy.
Then the GP may:
Before starting these checks, the GP should explain what will happen and answer any questions you may have.
The GP or practice nurse may refer you for more tests or to see a specialist in hospital if they think you have a condition that needs to be investigated.
This may be an urgent referral, usually within 2 weeks. This does not definitely mean you have cancer.
Find out more information and tips about seeing your GP on CRUK’s website here: Cancer Research UK: seeing a GP about symptoms of womb cancer
Womb cancer is most common in women who've been through menopause. It can affect anyone with a womb, and you cannot get womb cancer if you have had surgery to remove your womb (a hysterectomy).
Having a high level of a hormone called oestrogen is one of the main things that can increase your chance of getting womb cancer.
You may have high levels of oestrogen if you:
You might also be more likely to get womb cancer if you have:
You cannot always prevent womb cancer, but there are things you can do to lower your chance of getting it. These include:
If you’re experiencing symptoms of womb cancer, make an appointment with your GP to get Peace of Mind.
For more information about womb cancer, including tests and treatment for womb cancer, visit the following websites:
* Statistics and information taken from Cancer Research UK and NHS England
Follow us on social media: @CanAlliance_SYB
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