A young woman suffering excruciating stomach pains diagnosed herself with ovarian cancer using Google. By the time the Sadie Rance's disease was discovered, a tumour growing on her ovary had reached the size of a melon. Until then, the 22-year-old had been told her agonising stomach pain and constipation were caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
As her pain became unbearable Mrs Rance turned to the internet to search for answers. She discovered her symptoms met almost all the key signs of advanced ovarian cancer.
But been told by doctors she was suffering IBS, she did her own research when her pain became unbearable. She discovered she had most of the signs of ovarian cancer. After she requested more tests doctors discovered a tumour the size of a melon in her stomach
In January last year doctors performed an exploratory operation but discovered they could not remove the growth, because it had attached itself to her internal organs. The advanced cancer had spread to her small bowel, liver, diaphragm, heart and lungs. Mrs Rance has now been told she has between one and two years to live.
But the positive 23-year-old has responded well to chemotherapy, which has shrunk the tumour.
Mrs Rance, from Bromley, Kent, said: 'The trouble I had was that ovarian cancer is very rare in people under 50, and the type I have is even more rare, so I don't think it was ever even something that was considered.
'Still, when my problems seemed to get worse, I remember looking online and saw I had eight out of the nine symptoms of ovarian cancer.
'I asked my mum what she thought and, like any friend or mum would say to reassure you, she said "Don't be silly, you don't have cancer".
'But I knew my body and I could tell something wasn't right. I'm a very happy person and I'm determined to stay that way.
'When my doctor gave me the diagnosis, he said: "I'm really sorry, you're such a positive person".
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER?
The signs of ovarian cancer are not easy to spot and can be vague.
They can just about all be attributed to another less serious condition, particularly where the disease is less advanced.
Many women suffering the very early stages of ovarian cancer, stage one, won't have any symptoms at all.
If they do notice changes, they are most likely to suffer pain in the lower abdomen or side, and bloating, or a full feeling in the abdomen.
By the time ovarian cancer has spread outside the ovaries (stages two and three), the symptoms include:
irregular periods or vaginal bleeding after menopause
lower tummy pain
back pain
passing urine more often than normal
constipation
pain during sex
a swollen abdomen
feeling of fullness or a loss of appetite
When the cancer spreads to a distant body organ, for example the lungs, it is classed as being stage four ovarian cancer.
Symptoms in this late stage include:
loss of appetite or feeling full
feeling or being sick
constipation
tiredness
shortness of breath
noticeable swelling of the abdomen
Source: Cancer Research UK
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