What changed
Caroline Bailey, 54, sought help for severe abdominal pain she believed was caused by her contraceptive coil. Scans found a 13cm tumour pressing against it; she was diagnosed with stage-three ovarian cancer in June 2023 and now has no evidence of disease after chemotherapy and a six-hour operation.
Why it matters
Bailey’s story is a sharp reminder that persistent abdominal symptoms deserve proper investigation, even when there seems to be an obvious explanation. Her CA125 blood test measured 72 U/ml, above the 35 U/ml threshold at which women over 40 should be referred for further checks, and a biopsy confirmed that the cancer had spread to the omentum.
Chemotherapy at The Christie in Manchester shrank the tumour from 13cm to 8cm. Surgery then removed her womb and cervix, along with her omentum and appendix.
Bailey says the coil “saved my life” because her belief that it was causing the pain brought her back to the doctor. That is her experience, not proof that the coil detected the cancer. The useful lesson is simpler: ongoing bloating, abdominal or pelvic pain, feeling full quickly, or needing to urinate urgently should not be brushed aside, particularly when symptoms keep returning.
She has since travelled to Italy and moved to a cottage in Wales, while doctors have warned that ovarian cancer can be unpredictable. No evidence of disease is encouraging, but it is not the same as a guaranteed long-term outcome.
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