Signs and Symptoms

There are five gynae cancers - womb, ovarian, cervical, vaginal and vulval - but awareness levels of these cancers are very low – certainly in terms of the signs and symptoms to look out for.

Sadly, in the UK alone, over 21,000 women are given the news that they've been diagnosed with a form of gynaecological cancer each year. This equates to 58 women being diagnosed every day.

There are a range of signs and symptoms that we would urge every woman to look out for and not ignore:

• Irregular or unexpected bleeding, e.g. in between periods, after menopause or after sex
• Vaginal discharge that smells or may be blood stained
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Change in bowel or urinary habits that lasts for more than a month, e.g. bloating or needing to pass water more often than usual

If you have any of these symptoms, we would strongly encourage you to see your GP or contact The Eve Appeal's Ask Eve service on freephone 0808 802 0019 or email nurse@eveappeal.org.uk.

It is unlikely to be a serious problem, but it is important to be checked out.