Women say symptoms are not taken seriously, survey reveals

Almost two thirds of women (61%) surveyed for Target Ovarian Cancer to mark Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (March 2026) say their health concerns are not always taken seriously.

In the UK, over 7,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year. Two thirds of women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer late, when it is harder to treat. And every day, 11 women die.

Needing to pass urine more often or urgently is one of the key symptoms of ovarian cancer, but women are often unaware of the link.

Catherine Hart, Chief Executive of Target Ovarian Cancer said:‘The National Cancer Plan for England unveiled [recently] by the Government fails to commit to funding national symptoms‑awareness campaigns, despite clear evidence that women have far better outcomes when ovarian cancer is diagnosed early. The findings of this survey underline just how vital Government investment in awareness truly is.’

The survey, carried out online in February 2026, asked women if they had urinary symptoms within the last six months and what they would do if symptoms persisted for more than three weeks.

Just over one in five (22%) women reported experiencing needing to pass urine more often or urgently, rising to one in four (25%) of 45-54-year-olds.

While 54% would contact their GP if the symptom persisted for three weeks or more, despite not always feeling confident that their health concerns would be taken seriously, many would turn to the internet for online advice, around a quarter (27%) would ask at a pharmacy, and 37% of 18-24-year-olds would ask family or friends.

Ms Hart told Practice Nurse: ‘Practice nurses can play a vital role in supporting women who may be concerned about possible ovarian cancer symptoms. During routine women’s health checks, patients can feel more comfortable raising worries with nurses, which places practice nurses in a unique position to listen, recognise potential warning signs and offer reassurance or further guidance including encouraging women to seek advice from their GP. These everyday interactions create valuable opportunities for nurses to intervene opportunistically and help ensure women with concerning symptoms are identified and supported as early as possible.’

• Find further information at https://targetovariancancer.org.uk/health-professionals/update-your-knowledge/symptoms-presentation