Scientists at Imperial College London have shown that analyzing loyalty card data can help detect cases of ovarian cancer at an earlier stage of the disease’s development. Research published JMIR Public Health and Oversight.
About 300 women participated in the study. The scientists analyzed their purchases over six years using loyalty card data from two major pharmacies. The researchers found that women who were later diagnosed with ovarian cancer had higher intakes of medications for pain and indigestion. This change in purchases can be observed eight months before diagnosis.
It is known that 93% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer survive five years or more if diagnosed at an early stage. If ovarian cancer is detected at the last stage, the chance of surviving five years is 13%. However, early detection is very rare today: one in five women with ovarian cancer receive their diagnosis in the emergency room, where the disease has already greatly weakened the body.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer can be mild in the early stages of the disease, causing some women to buy their own medication from the pharmacy instead of going to the GP because they think their condition is not serious. Early symptoms may include loss of appetite, abdominal pain and bloating.
In this study, participants noticed symptoms that were later found to be associated with ovarian cancer about 4.5 months before they were diagnosed. It reduced the diagnosis time to apply to the doctor to 3.5 months. This highlights that ignoring symptoms can be dangerous.
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Source: Gazeta
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