In this episode of the Primary Care Knowledge Boost Podcast doctors Lisa and Sara talk to Dr Charlotte Bădescu about ovarian cancer.
The podcast focuses on the important learning points about cardinal and other features of presentations to better understand ovarian cancer as an abdominal cancer with symptoms that can, and do, often present much earlier than when the diagnosis is picked up.
Dr Bădescu talks through the value of CA125 tests and the reasons not to be overly reliant on them, though they can be a useful tool. The usefulness of ultrasound scans, both pelvic and transvaginal, as well as clinician continuity is also discussed.
The podcast then moves on to talk about two hypothetical cases which are based on real examples as well as Charlotte’s own diagnosis.
This is an excellent episode for picking up learning points to avoid missing a diagnosis in your own patients.
Listen to the podcast episode at: www.pckb.org/e/ovarian-cancer/.
Useful resources
- NICE Guidelines: Suspected Cancer, Recognition and Referral (Dec 2021): https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12/chapter/Recommendations-organised-by-site-of-cancer#gynaecological-cancers
- NICE guidelines on Ovarian Cancer (Published April 2011): https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg122
- GP network & resources: https://targetovariancancer.org.uk/health-professionals/GPs
- Nurses network & resources: https://targetovariancancer.org.uk/health-professionals/nurses
- Patient resources: https://targetovariancancer.org.uk/support-for-you
- Shine Cancer Support: https://shinecancersupport.org/
- ForteenFish Free Ovarian Cancer Webinar (you will need to log-on and search Ovarian Cancer): https://www.fourteenfish.com/
