Somerset ovarian cancer survival rates 'incredible'

More people with ovarian cancer are surviving longer after diagnosis in Somerset then almost anywhere else in the country, a report has found.

The NHS England study shows 77% of those with ovarian cancer in the county are surviving at least one year after their diagnosis, using the latest national audit, taken in 2021.

Somerset gynaecological-oncology consultant Jo Morrison said: "Our aim is to cure where we can and to help everyone live longer and better - to come second in the country for survival rates is an incredible achievement."

The national audit has been adopted by the NHS, through the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre, and will continue long-term.

The audit followed concerns cancer survival rates in the UK were not as good as in other countries in Europe.

Miss Morrison said although many people will not survive long-term with ovarian cancer, treatment means people can often experience several years of good quality life.

She said it is "incredible" for 12-month survival rates in Somerset to be similar to those in the best-performing countries, such as Norway and Denmark.

Clinicians and patient support groups were the driving force behind the work, as they wanted to improve outcomes.

With support from the British Gynaecological Cancer Society and ovarian cancer charities, a national pilot audit demonstrated big differences between centres across the UK, said Miss Morrison.

Team coordinator Jodie Woodland, pathway coordinator Tracey McEwan, and lead cancer nurse specialist Maria Murrey, have worked "tirelessly" to give an accurate understanding of their performance and survival rates.

That, alongside the national audit data, will "help us keep ovarian cancer surgery in Somerset for many years to come," which is vital for women who may not be able to access treatment further away owing to ill health, Miss Morrison added.

In females in the UK, ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cancer, with around 7,500 new cases every year between 2017 and 2019.

According to the NHS, symptoms of ovarian cancer include frequently (roughly 12 or more times a month) having:

• a swollen tummy or feeling bloated

• pain or tenderness in your tummy or the area between the hips

• no appetite or feeling full quickly after eating

• an urgent need to pee or needing to pee more often

Other symptoms of can include: Indigestion, constipation or diarrhoea, back pain, feeling tired all the time, losing weight without trying, bleeding from the vagina after the menopause.

Miss Morrison said they worked hard with each patient to help decide the best treatment for them.

"Research studies have shown that overall there's no difference in survival if we either perform surgery or give chemotherapy first… but we know that some people will do better with one or the other," she added.

The team is also contributing to a research project, led by a team in Manchester, to develop a tool to make a more objective assessment of which treatment might be best first.

Through this, they hope to create a patient aid allowing for a more informed decision on whether to have surgery or chemotherapy first, Miss Morrison said.

With funding, they hope to test this with patients in the near future, as part of a bigger national research study, she added.