A GYNAECOLOGY expert at a Dorchester hospital says more needs to be done to encourage early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

More than 7,100 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year in the UK, making it the fifth most common cancer, and three quarters of cases are only noticed once the cancer has spread.

Muhammad Iftikhar, consultant gynaecologist at BMI The Winterbourne Hospital in the county town, is urging younger women to take the time to find out about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, with 20 per cent of cases involving women under the age of 50.

He said: "In the UK ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women, after breast cancer, bowel cancer, lung cancer and uterine (womb) cancer.

"Unfortunately, patients frequently present with advanced disease after the cancer has spread throughout the abdomen.

"Only a quarter of these cancers are caught early and removed before they have spread, which means more awareness of the symptoms and the need for early diagnosis is needed."

Mr Iftikhar added: "Early diagnosis is crucial, ovarian cancer is often called the ‘silent cancer’ as patients do not develop symptoms until after the cancer has spread, causing a more advanced tumour that is more difficult to locate and treat. T "he symptoms are similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome, but a patient who develops new symptoms of bloating, swelling, change in bowel habit or abdominal pains needs to be investigated."

Mr Iftikhar said as the exact causes of ovarian cancer are not known, there are few things women can do to reduce the risks.

Factors that are known to increase the risks include a higher Body Mass Index for women who have not yet been through the menopause, smoking and a family history of the condition.

There have also been shown to be links between the disease and hormone replacement therapy, while women who have had breast cancer are twice as likely to have ovarian cancer than those who have not.

Hilary Maxwell, Mr Iftikhary’s gynae-oncology clinical nurse specialist, and co-founder of the GO Girls Support Group is supporting the campaign to raise awareness.

She said: "Early diagnosis is key to survival. Far too often women are being diagnosed too late and both women and GPs need to be alert to the symptoms and act on them."

The GO Girls group is asking every woman in Dorset to give £10 in support of its appeal to raise awareness and for a tate-of-the-art gynae-oncology early diagnostic suite at Dorset County Hospital.

To make a donation visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SomeoneSpecial/gogirlssupportgroup