A 24-year-old woman in the UK was misdiagnosed with ovarian cancer while physicians thought she was pregnant. Emma Colledge visited the doctor in February 2022 for bloating and frequent bathroom visits. It was probably irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or allergies, she thought.
Although doctors told her she was pregnant due to her swollen tummy, her pregnancy tests were negative.
Ms. Colledge added, “In May, the doctors told me I was pregnant. The test proved I wasn’t. I know people say ‘don’t Google it’, but when I Googled my symptoms, it always claimed ovarian cancer is more common in those over 50.”
Ms. Colledge was scheduled for more testing, but her agony intensified before she could go. A gastrointestinal cyst was found following an ultrasound. Her ovarian cancer was later diagnosed.
She stated, “When I was diagnosed, I wondered if I’d live to my 24th birthday or die tomorrow. My willpower is strong. Being stubborn, I told myself this isn’t my time to leave, and I’m making sure of it.”
It spread to my stomach and lining. The cyst was squeezing my kidneys, so they couldn’t see anything else. I believed I was too young for ovarian cancer. Not common. It was, she said.
Metro said that the cyst and ovary were removed in five and a half hours. She had a nine-hour hysterectomy to remove her appendix, spleen, and part of her colon.
The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle’s Teenage Cancer Trust performed six chemotherapy treatments on her. Tests show no cancer return since her 2023 chemotherapy treatment.
Teen Cancer Trust said, “Knowing the signs of ovarian cancer is a good idea, but remember that lots of conditions less serious than cancer can also cause these symptoms.”
Ovarian cancer symptoms:
Pelvic and abdominal pain
Bloating
Trouble eating
Menstrual changes
Fatigue
Sudden weight loss
Painful back
Ovarian cancer is dangerous because it often goes undiagnosed until it has spread, and its symptoms can be caused by other disorders.
“The lack of routine screening programmes and early detection techniques often results in diagnosis at advanced stages with few treatment options and a poor prognosis,” says Dr. Kanav Kumar, a surgical oncologist at the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Head & Neck Cancer Institute of India, Mumbai.
Obesity, endometriosis, and long-term HRT usage are also risk factors for ovarian cancer.
Women nearing menopause should be cautious about symptoms including abdominal or breast lumps, intestinal abnormalities, postmenopausal bleeding, or stomach bloating.
