A mother-of-three from Coventry, Lisa Carroll, 47, has urged women not to dismiss their symptoms after being diagnosed with a rare ovarian cancer. She initially believed her symptoms in August 2021 were due to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or a kidney infection.
Instead, Carroll was diagnosed with mucinous ovarian cancer (MOC), which is one of the rarest forms of ovarian cancer in the UK. Ovacome, an ovarian cancer charity, states that approximately 200 cases of this cancer are diagnosed annually in the UK.
After calling NHS 111, Carroll was sent to hospital where a 12cm cyst was found on her right ovary. Within a month, the cyst grew significantly, and by December, scans revealed a 20cm tumour that was beginning to rupture. She underwent emergency surgery to remove the tumour, a fallopian tube, her appendix, and surrounding tissue.
Carroll, who is now cancer-free, is approaching the five-year milestone for formal discharge from oncology care. She has become involved with Ovacome and hopes that sharing her story will encourage others to trust their instincts and seek help when they feel something is wrong.