Member News
By Stuart Andrew MP - 12th October 2011
Stuart Andrew MP calls for action to raise awareness on ovarian cancer and to improve early diagnosis.
As a child I became aware of the devastating effect a diagnosis of ovarian cancer can have on a family. I never knew my grandmother who had died in my first year and was buried on my first birthday, the impact reaching far and wide across our family. As a new MP in June 2010, I attended a parliamentary reception run by Target Ovarian Cancer, and was given the chance to meet up with my constituents Paul and Chris Shagouri. Hearing Chris's story, her late diagnosis, and her continuing struggle to keep this disease at bay had a profound impact on me, so much so that I signed up to be a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ovarian Cancer which was being formed.
Early diagnosis has been a particular focus for the group since its formation. Why? Because the UK has amongst the worst survival rates in Europe, and late diagnosis is the key driver. There's been a raft of evidence about late diagnosis of ovarian cancer, and with new NICE guidance on symptoms and improving access to diagnostic tests for women, there is a real opportunity to make progress. But the simplest, most important step is missing. Awareness. Unless women know to visit their GP and their GP knows to consider ovarian cancer, then we will continue to languish at the bottom of the survival tables.
Anyone who develops cancer deserves a quick and accurate diagnosis – and awareness of symptoms is an important part of that. That is why the Department of Health is investing millions of pounds in raising awareness over the forthcoming years, but as yet, it is not including ovarian cancer in its plans. Yet after breast, lung and bowel cancer, ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in women. The government's own figures say that up to 500 lives a year could be saved from ovarian cancer if only we matched the best survival rates in Europe, representing 10 per cent of their stated goal to save 5,000 lives a year by 2014/15.
That is why the APPG asked its members to bid for a debate, and why I feel it is so important, and am pleased to have secured the opportunity. We want to know why are we waiting to take action when we know the impact of late diagnosis, and we know the potential such action could have. We want to see the government take this opportunity now to improve the lives of the 6,500 women who are diagnosed each year – three quarters of whom are currently diagnosed once their cancer has already spread. 4,500 women die each year. If we were to achieve what has already been achieved in breast cancer, 3,000 of those women would live. 76 per cent of women know about the most significant breast cancer symptom, a lump. With ovarian cancer, the most common symptom – persistent bloating is recognised by just 9 per cent of women. Awareness of symptoms is critical to lives being saved.
(Further information on the work of the APPG can be found at www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/appg)
Stuart Andrew has been Conservative MP for Pudsey since 2010
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