Gynaecological cancers are cancers that start in parts of the female reproductive system.
Did you know there are 5 of them?
Like the rest of your body, the female reproductive organs are made of tiny 'building blocks' called cells. Gynaecological cancers begin when these cells grow abnormally.
Most of us have heard of cervical cancer, because of our national screening program, but as for the other four types (ovarian, uterine, vaginal and vulval) there is no screening available and until recently little information publicly on them.
The statistics are grim.
Every year 1000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with one of the five gynaecological cancers and approximately 400 will die from one, 1 New Zealander dying every 24 hours.
There are no screening tools for 4 out of the 5 gynaecological cancers. Yet the majority of New Zealanders think a cervical screening covers the 5. Your cervical screening tests only for changes to cells in the cervix or for HPV depending on which of the two available screening tests you take, it does NOT screen for the other 4 gynaecological cancers.
Alarmingly our gynaecological death rate is higher than both melanoma and our annual road toll.
Knowing the signs and symptoms and acting on them!
Many people assume that ovarian and other reproductive cancers are “silent killers,” meaning they don’t cause any symptoms.
“The truth is, these cancers do have symptoms and warning signs, they're not silent, It's time to be talking and talking loudly about the signs and symptoms."
We must must educate ourselves on the signs and symptoms of the 5 gynaecological cancers, feel confident to seek medical advice, know our normal and not compare our health to the health of others- you know your body and what's normal for you better than anyone else, never feel silly for seeking medical advice on something thats worrying you.
All women are at risk for developing gynaecological cancers, and the risk increases with age. It’s important to know the warning signs, as treatments are most effective when the cancer is found at an early stage.
We often think of gynaecological health as just one big thing, but in fact, these 5 cancers are separate and they all have their own individual signs and symptoms.
Please check out www.talkpeach.org.nz for more information on the individual cancers their signs, symptoms and risk factors.
• Abnormal bleeding: bleeding after sex/bleeding between periods/post menopausal bleeding
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Changes in vaginal discharge
• Back pain
• Pain during sex
• Changes in bowel habits: diarrhoea/constipation
• Eating habits: Feeling full quickly
• Urgency/frequency to pee
• Changes to the appearance of skin on the vagina/vulva
• Fatigue
• Persistent bloating
• Indigestion
Having these symptoms does not mean you have cancer, but it is important to get any changes checked by your doctor.
Never ever feel silly for seeking medical advice! Gynaecological cancer doesn't discriminate, it affects people of all ages from teens through to post menopause.
Early diagnosis is imperative so that people have the best chance for successful treatment. When cancer care is delayed there is a lower chance of survival, greater problems associated with treatment and higher costs of care.
It is heartbreaking to see that gynaecological cancers remain largely in the dark. A recent survey of people diagnosed with ovarian cancer found that 90% of them couldn't name a single symptom prior to their diagnosis.
Also that our community is getting diagnosed with cervical cancer a largely preventable cancer type. Evidence shows that routine screening which can detect precancerous abnormalities can reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by 90%.
1 New Zealander dies every 24 hours from gynaecological cancer, and for years the silence and stigma around it has been vast. When I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017 my family had never heard of it, I had never even heard of it- Tash (Founder of Talk Peach)
Because there is no regular screening tool for ovarian, vulval, vaginal or uterine cancer it is super important that people know the signs and symptoms, and feel empowered to advocate for themselves when things feel ‘off’ for them.
Acting early leads to early diagnosis and ultimately better survival outcomes.
We have loved that the conversation is opening up, that people are now starting to share their personal stories, these stories are invaluable, they allow others to connect quickly to the conversation; sharing knowledge within communities is what really drives change and better outcomes for all.
Absolutely!
The five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer in New Zealand is 37%. It has a 70% chance of recurrence post treatment, the survival statistics for ovarian cancer have remained virtually unchanged for 30 years. This is literally a crisis point in terms of advancement in survival rates for cancers.
New Zealand is lagging behind both the USA and Australia in survival advancements.
Unlike Australia, New Zealand doesn't have any national guidelines to diagnose ovarian cancer. That means the approach from doctors can vary significantly. One in five people receive a diagnosis within a month of seeing their doctor, so we know some doctors are doing an incredible job, but at the other end of the spectrum we also know that one in four people take a year or longer to be diagnosed, and those delays often cost them their life.
Once diagnosed our survival rates are 10% worse than Australians who have access to more funded treatments and clinical trials. The survival rates for ovarian cancer are less than half that of breast and prostate cancer.
Breast cancer used to have a similar outlook but now thanks to incredible advocacy, large scale fundraising and an immense amount of research the breast cancer 10-year survival rate is 75% if a lump is the first sign or 92% if detected via a regular mammogram.
We can not understand how this important area of health has been ignored for so long. The current situation is unconscionable. We urge the public and government to take urgent action to reduce unnecessary deaths.
We can't do it alone. We strongly believe it takes a community to make change.
If you, a member of your whānau, or someone close to you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you are probably in shock and experiencing a wide range of emotions. Talk Peach was founded by an Ovarian Cancer survivor, we know first hand the devastation and loneliness of an ovarian cancer diagnosis, and that is why we are here to help.
Ovarian cancer can be a difficult journey, it is imperative that you have all of the information and support that you may need at your fingertips - that is why we created our comprehensive Ovarian Cancer support guide.
We hope that it will assist you in processing the news of your diagnosis, support you through the challenges ahead and empower you to ask questions, build support, and advocate for your health.
Not all of the information in the guide will apply to everyone, but it should give you and your close ones the answers to many of your questions, as well as help you form questions you may not have thought to ask.
To all those battling and scaling mountains, we are with you.
Connecting with others diagnosed, that was key in our recovery and battle through treatment.
Our guide is downloadable via our website www.talkpeach.org.nz and is available at hospitals nationwide, our cervical cancer guide is due out soon, stay tuned!
Talk Peach is a registered New Zealand charity founded by a survivor and run by survivors in order ensure there are more survivors.
Our vision is to inform New Zealanders on gynaecological disease and connect and support those who are diagnosed.
There are major gaps in public awareness, and we work hard to educate and minimise those gaps.
• To provide education on gynaecological health
• To educate the community on the signs and symptoms of the 5 gynaecological cancers in order to reduce late stage diagnosis
• To provide information and support to all those diagnosed with gynaecological cancers
• To advocate for better funding into: education and awareness, research, clinical trials, access to medications and better pathways to testing
Talking taboos and putting an end to a culture of silence and stigma around gynaecological health is a huge part of what we are about at Talk Peach.
We want to encourage all people to have honest, open and frank conversations with loved ones, to empower people to take charge of their bodies and break down fears around acting upon health issues and seeking help- when it comes to gynaecological health there isn't time to have a she’ll be right or ‘I don't want to be a whinger’ attitude. We believe It's time to smash the taboos which still exist and squash that stigma which prevents potentially life-saving conversations.
To us! www.talkpeach.org.nz we have an amazing educational website, Instagram @talk_peach and Facebook page ‘Talk Peach Gynaecological Foundation’
Get in touch, our founder/director Tash and one of our board members have both battled gynaecological cancer we know the ins and outs of where to go and who is available to support.
It's time we put our gynaecological health at the top of our to do lists. Gynaecological cancers can become very hard to treat when they progress.
If you have noticed a change and its been there for 2 weeks, book in with your GP, don't hesitate.
Go to our website we have a GP section, with advice on what to expect when you visit the doctor with a gynaecological concern, we have a list of questions for you to ask, and a list of questions they will possibly ask you. Remember you can always take a support person.
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