Call to end womb cancer ignorance

Fay says women must act fast if they suspect womb cancer

When 61-year-old Fay Nash spotted blood as she went to the toilet in February last year, she knew something was wrong.

But she had no idea it could be the early signs of womb cancer.

"I had finished my menopause 10 years earlier so I went to see my doctor who referred me for an internal scan," said Mrs Nash, who runs a dry cleaning business in Bristol.

At this stage, there was no sign of the cancer which was to be diagnosed several months later.

I didn't sleep the first time - it was dreadful. I tortured myself about it Fay Nash

Instead her consultant found she had an oestrogen deficiency and treated that.

But in July the blood that had shocked her into visiting her doctor so quickly re-occurred.

She promptly went back to her GP and was re-referred immediately for further investigations.

Her consultant noticed a fibroid and carried out a hysteroscopy which showed Fay had cancer of the womb.

Despite her obvious shock at the findings, Fay says she felt lucky in some ways because as she had presented earlier with symptoms she knew she had to act fast.

"I was more frightened the first time I went for the scan. I had this awful feeling in the back of my mind that I had cancer.

"I didn't sleep the first time - it was dreadful. I tortured myself about it. So I thought to myself 'I can't go through that again'.

"So when the consultant told me I just sort of said 'let's get on with it'."

Publicity

By August 2005 the cancer had been formally diagnosed and an appointment for a full hysterectomy was made for the following month.

Although the usual recovery time for a hysterectomy is 12 weeks, Fay summoned all her strength to recuperate quickly because her daughter was due to have her first baby in October.

She is still recovering well and will have regular check-ups for the next five years.

But Fay thinks more should be done to publicise the symptoms of womb cancer - which affects twice as many women as cervical cancer.

"I had heard about ovarian cancer, but womb cancer - it had never even entered my mind.

"We all know about breast cancer and my husband had testicular cancer so we know about that but not womb cancer."

Early action

The early diagnosis meant the cancer was caught quickly enough to stop it spreading into the wall of her womb and into her muscle.

"If women don't go early enough then the cancer goes on progressing and can enter other organs as well."

She said: "Women need to be made aware of what to do if bleeding occurs.

"They must not feel that they are going to waste the doctor's time - they must go and get it checked out early."

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