A 14-year-old girl from London has spoken of her shock after doctors discovered an ovarian tumour weighing more than 5kg, the size of a pumpkin. Kelliyah initially blamed her severe abdominal pain on fizzy drinks and a lack of exercise, before realising the problem was far more serious.
After weeks of persistent symptoms, Kelliyah went to hospital, where doctors found the tumour and diagnosed ovarian cancer within 24 hours. She said her belly grew so large that she thought she was putting on weight, despite exercising and changing her diet. "It wasn't jiggling, it was like I was pregnant," she recalled.
Ovarian cancer affects around 7,500 women each year in the UK, with about 140 cases diagnosed in women under 25. Survival rates are higher for younger women but depend on early diagnosis. Adeola Olaitan, consultant gynaecological oncologist at University College London Hospital, said risk factors include not having children, infertility treatment, and not using the combined contraceptive pill or breastfeeding.
Kelliyah struggled to find information about ovarian cancer affecting teenagers. "I started to see lots of women - 40, 38 - I was like, 'I'm not old, why are there no teenagers?'" she said. Her mother, Ashley Avorgah, highlighted health stigmas in some black communities, adding that illness is often seen as an embarrassment and a lack of communication exists around sickness.
Kelliyah is now in remission but requires check-ups every three months for five years, and faces a possible premature menopause. Ben Sundell of the Teenage Cancer Trust noted that ovarian cancer in this age group is rare and symptoms can be mistaken for period pain. A new drug, olaparib, was approved for advanced cases in England in July 2019 and could delay progression by three years.
