This Post Is for LGSOC Awareness Day – September 9
This article was written for LGSOC Awareness Day, held every year on September 9. Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (LGSOC) is a rare, slow-growing form of ovarian cancer that mainly affects younger women and is often resistant to standard treatments like chemotherapy.
Too often, people are diagnosed at a late stage — not because they ignored the signs, but because they never knew what to look for.
While symptoms can be vague, they are often persistent. Common signs of ovarian cancer include:
- Bloating or rapid weight gain
- Pelvic, abdominal, or back pain
- Feeling full quickly when eating
- Bowel or bladder changes
- Ongoing fatigue, indigestion, painful sex, or irregular periods
If new symptoms appear and stick around for more than two weeks — even if they come and go — speak to your GP. Early detection makes a real difference.
5 Everyday Habits That Help Women Lower Their Cancer Risk
The five habits below are simple lifestyle changes that can support your long-term health and lower your risk of developing cancer — including ovarian cancer. While they won’t prevent every case, research shows these actions can make a meaningful difference over time.
Cancer is one of the most pressing health issues worldwide, yet many people don’t realize how much they can help reduce their own personal risk.
While genetics, age, and environment play undeniable roles, research consistently points to lifestyle a choice having a more profound influence on cancer prevention – and, in recent years, that pointing has turned into a bright flashing arrow.
The habits and routines we get into can either strengthen your protection against this unforgiving disease or increase your vulnerability.
The good news is that by making intentional, sustainable changes to your lifestyle, you can reduce your risk of developing cancers. These are rarely drastic changes. They are simple, everyday swaps that make the biggest difference over time.
Below are five everyday habits that help women lower their cancer risk:
Healthy Eating Without The Pressure
Nutrition can play a role in reducing cancer risk, but access to fresh, balanced meals isn’t always simple — especially if you rely on others for shopping or food prep, or you’re managing fatigue, pain, or financial limitations.
There’s no single food that prevents cancer. But where possible, including things like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and legumes can help support your immune system and reduce exposure to certain risk factors.
If you’re only able to make small changes, that’s still valid. Buying frozen veg instead of fresh, choosing higher-fibre options, or adding one extra portion of fruit a day are all simple shifts that can make a difference over time — without requiring a full kitchen overhaul.
Quit Smoking
Lowering your risk of developing most cancers starts with one thing: quitting smoking.
Smoking is a leading cause of preventable cancers worldwide, contributing not only to lung cancer cases but also to several others.
For women, the dangers of smoking are more significant because it interacts with hormones, negatively impacting estrogen, androgen, and gonadotropin, leading to issues like fertility problems, irregular periods, and even early menopause.
Within the first few weeks of quitting, your body will have already started repairing itself, and your immune system will be much stronger.
Overcoming addiction is challenging, so quitting will require planning and support from your friends, family, and loved ones.
Donate To Clinical Trials
September is Ovarian Cancer Month, and yet not enough women know anything about it.
In fact, not even scientists know enough about it.
Funding clinical trials for ovarian cancer is critical because this disease is frequently diagnosed late, and there are no reliable early screening tools or tests. Clinical trials open the door to innovative treatments and diagnostics, to extend survival and significantly improve quality of life.
Donate as much as you can afford monthly, there is no set amount.
These trials are essential for identifying which treatments work best for varied genetic profiles, leading to heightened personalized care and accelerated progress towards earlier detection of Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (LGSOC).
LGSOC is a rare, slow-growing form of ovarian cancer that typically affects younger women. It is generally resistant to standard chemotherapy, making awareness and research particularly important.
LGSOC Awareness Day takes place on September 9th.
It is an essential opportunity to shine a light on this rare and under researched form of ovarian cancer. Awareness helps to drive research and spreading the word is a shared responsibility.
Beyond supporting research, there are also practical steps you can take daily:
Physical Activity
Movement supports hormone regulation, immune function, and general wellbeing — all of which are linked to lower cancer risk. But physical activity doesn’t need to mean you need to rush out and join a gym or start intense workouts!
Walking to the shop. Stretching while the kettle boils. A few minutes of chair-based exercise. These all count — and they add up.
If you can build in 30 minutes a day, great. But if that’s not possible, start smaller. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s consistency in a way that works for your body.
Some days will be harder than others, especially if you live with fatigue, pain, or mobility barriers. Adapt movement to fit your needs, not the other way around
Regular movement helps to strengthen your immune system, balance hormones, and regulate bodily processes.
Limit Everyday Toxin Exposure – Realistically
While it’s impossible to avoid all environmental toxins, you can reduce your exposure to some of the more common and harmful ones with a few practical swaps.
Some examples include:
- Choose fragrance-free or sensitive-skin cleaning products, especially if you have allergies, asthma, or chemical sensitivities.
- Avoid non-stick cookware made with PFAS (“forever chemicals”) when possible — stainless steel and cast iron are safer alternatives.
- Check your cosmetics: Look for unscented or certified-safe products that avoid known hormone disruptors like parabens or phthalates.
- Air out new furniture or clothing before use — this can reduce chemical off-gassing from flame retardants or dyes.
For disabled people, it’s not always realistic to overhaul your entire environment — and you shouldn’t feel pressure to do so. Focus on what’s manageable for your lifestyle, budget, and energy levels
Disabled Women and Cancer: Often Left Behind
Beyond individual habits, we also need to talk about who gets access to information, diagnosis, and treatment.
Disabled women are rarely included in mainstream cancer awareness campaigns — and that silence comes at a cost.
A major 2022 review in The Lancet Oncology exposed just how many barriers disabled people face when it comes to cancer care. These barriers don’t come from the disability itself, but from the way health systems are designed — or rather, who they’re not designed for.
Some of the key issues include:
- Physical access problems: Many clinics still don’t have height-adjustable exam tables or mammogram machines that can be used by wheelchair users. If you can’t access the equipment, you can’t get the test.
- Delayed or missed diagnoses: Research shows that disabled people are less likely to be invited to screenings, and more likely to be diagnosed later — often when the cancer is harder to treat.
- Bias and assumptions: Health professionals sometimes assume a disabled person’s symptoms are just part of their existing condition — a mistake known as diagnostic overshadowing. In other cases, assumptions about someone’s “quality of life” may lead to them being offered fewer treatment options.
- Communication gaps: Booking systems that aren’t screen reader accessible, no BSL interpreters, and rushed appointments all make it harder for disabled women to be heard — and to advocate for themselves.
“My symptoms were dismissed for years. It wasn’t until I insisted they scan me that they found the tumour.” – Lisa, a disabled ovarian cancer survivor
To change this, cancer campaigns — including LGSOC Awareness Day — need to include disabled women from the start. That means making clinical trials accessible, pushing for inclusive screening, and ensuring all healthcare staff receive disability awareness training.
Closing Reflection
LGSOC is difficult to detect. The symptoms are often vague, and there’s no routine screening available. Knowing what’s typical for your body — and following up when something feels off — can help, but that’s only possible when healthcare systems are accessible and responsive.
Disabled women often face extra barriers. Symptoms are sometimes dismissed, basic access needs are overlooked, and appointments can be hard to attend or even book in the first place.
LGSOC Awareness Day exists to highlight these realities. It’s a call for earlier diagnosis, inclusive research, and care that respects everyone — not just those who fit the system best.
Nobody should have to fight to be heard. Everyone deserves clear information, timely care, and to be treated with respect.
