cancer symptoms

Ovarian cancer – is it lurking in the aisles?

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by Louise Bayne, Chief Executive, Ovacome: the ovarian cancer support network

The middle-aged woman with abdominal symptoms such as bloating, discomfort or gastric disturbance is an everyday visitor to community pharmacies.

She has ovarian cancer, but doesn’t know it yet.  She’s visited primary care many times, but has received a misdiagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome or recurrent UTI, and has decided to self-medicate with treatments bought from pharmacies.  

How can you help her? Read more Ovarian cancer – is it lurking in the aisles? ›

How community pharmacists help with the early detection of bowel cancer

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By Howard Duff, RPS Director for England

The UK’s cancer survival rates lag behind those of Europe.  One reason for this is that patients often present when their cancer is quite advanced, meaning their treatment options are more limited and their lives shortened as a result.  Detecting cancer earlier is essential to the one in three of us who will develop the disease during our lifetime.

Many individuals in the early stages of cancer self-medicate because they do not recognise their symptoms as important.

We think that pharmacists can do much more to help patients recognise the importance of early detection and encourage them to take action when they have symptoms that may be of concern. Over 80% of pharmacies now have private areas where you can have a chat without being overheard, meaning more and more people feel they can seek advice and questions about their health from their pharmacist.  Read more How community pharmacists help with the early detection of bowel cancer ›

Saving lives with early detection of lung cancer

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Early detection of lung cancer saves lives. It’s as simple as that. Yet lung cancer is still the UK’s biggest cancer killer and survival rates have improved little since the 1970s. That’s why being aware of the key symptoms of lung cancer is so important. You need to recognise the symptoms to understand when you might need help. Read more Saving lives with early detection of lung cancer ›