What is Vulva Cancer?

September is Gynaecological Cancer Awareness month A recent questionnaire study conducted by Dina El-Hamamsy and colleagues in Manchester demonstrated that, out of 191 women surveyed only 9% labelled all anatomical structures correctly when faced with a diagram of the female genitalia. Being unable to correctly name the parts of their genitalia may have significant implications…

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Spotlight on Vaginal Cancer

September is Gynaecological Cancer Awareness month Did you know there are five gynaecological cancers? Ovarian, endometrial, cervical, vulva and vaginal. This blog will discuss the rarest of these, and what you need to know about: vaginal cancer. Vaginal cancer is very rare but still 250 new cases are diagnosed every year in the UK, that…

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January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month

One in three women do not attend for cervical screening. Reasons for this can include fear or embarrassment, or difficulty finding the time or a convenient time to attend.  Last year many organisations signed up to the ‘Time to Test’ campaign whereby flexibility for women to attend cervical screening appointments is prioritised. For some women…

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International Women’s Day 2021

‘A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change.  So let’s all choose to challenge.’ This is the theme for this year’s global day for celebrating the many achievements of women. The 8th March has been celebrated by the United Nations as IWD since 1975. However, the seeds of this were planted…

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Endometriosis awareness month

    1st – 31st March 2021 Nithya and I are taking part in a 1 in 10 challenge this month to raisemoney for Endometriosis UK as part of Endometriosis Awareness Month, to help end the stigma and provide support to the 1 in 10 living with endometriosis in the UK.New statistics released this month…

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Home self-sampling HPV kits

Many women delay or avoid going to their GP for cervical smears because of embarrassment or, more recently, concerns or difficulties in accessing healthcare during the Covid-19 pandemic.  NHS England is posting 31 000 home self-sampling kits to women in London in an attempt to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. The tests, piloted through…

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Breast screening in under 50s?

Currently, in the UK women over the age of 50 years are invited for breast screening every 3years, until aged 70. However, it is unclear whether screening for younger women would be beneficial.Recently published in Lancet Oncology, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) UK Age Trial has published its long-term results of a 23year…

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National Ovarian Cancer audit

The National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS), in conjunction with the British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS) conducted a national audit in England from 2016-2018 looking at the treatment of ovarian cancer. It found huge geographical variation not only in survival, but also in numbers of women being offered treatment, and types of treatment offered.…

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Pfizer vaccine

The UK has approved the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for widespread use. The regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) says the vaccine, which offers up to 95% protection against COVID-19 illness, is safe for rollout from next week. The MHRA have concluded, following rigorous clinical trials, that the vaccine has met its strict standards…

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