Contraceptive coil 'helped uncover my ovarian cancer'

Key Points:

• Caroline Bailey, 54, initially thought severe abdominal pain was caused by her contraceptive coil, but scans revealed a 13cm tumour pressing against it, leading to a diagnosis of stage three ovarian cancer in June 2023.
• Despite fears she might not live another two years, chemotherapy and surgery have left Caroline with no evidence of disease, and she credits the coil for indirectly saving her life by prompting medical investigation.
• Caroline's tumour shrank after four rounds of chemotherapy, followed by a six-hour surgery removing her womb, cervix, omentum, and appendix; she later had two more chemotherapy rounds and genetic testing revealed mutations increasing her cancer risk.
• She is now considering a double mastectomy as part of a trial and advocates for women to seek medical advice for unusual symptoms, highlighting delays in cancer treatment in Wales, where only 51.3% of women start treatment within the target timeframe.
• Caroline's experience underscores challenges faced by patients, including delayed diagnosis, financial hardship, and personal upheaval, while emphasizing the importance of self-advocacy and early detection in gynaecological cancers.