title: Experience of symptoms indicative of gynaecological cancers in UK women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gynaecological cancers account for ∼12% of female cancer incidence in the United Kingdom. Encouraging prompt help-seeking for potential symptoms could help improve outcomes. However, before developing help-seeking interventions, it is important to estimate the number of women with symptoms potentially indicative of a gynaecological cancer to help estimate the impact of such interventions on primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of a face-to-face, population-based survey, women aged ≥16 (n=911) were shown a list of symptoms potentially indicative of a gynaecological cancer and were asked to indicate any experienced in the last 3 months. Those who reported symptoms were asked about their responses to one randomly selected index symptom.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Just under half (44%) of the respondents reported a symptom, with 35% reporting a frequent and/or severe symptom. Younger (P<0.001), lower socioeconomic status (P<0.01) and non-White women (P<0.05) were significantly more likely to report symptoms. Few (14%) respondents were both older (≥45 years) and had a frequent and/or severe symptom. Of these women, 38% had seen a GP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptoms that potentially indicate a gynaecological cancer, even if limited to those that are frequent and/or severe, appear to be common. Consequently, encouraging prompt help-seeking may increase the burden on primary care. However, targeting those at increased risk (older women with frequent or severe symptoms) should avoid unmanageable increases in primary care consultations for gynaecological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wardle
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Menon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult