Doctors who have been conducting a study claim that using loyalty card data to track what customers buy can assist in identifying individuals who exhibit early signs of cancer.

They discovered an increased risk of ovarian cancer associated with frequent purchases of over-the-counter painkillers and indigestion tablets.

Often, ovarian cancer is discovered late.

The symptoms, such as bloating, can be ambiguous and mistaken for other common, harmless conditions, and there is no reliable screening test.

Symptoms of advertisement include:

bloated or swollen stomach; indigestion; pain in the pelvis or abdomen; lack of appetite or feeling full quickly after eating; needing to urinate more frequently. Early diagnosis increases the likelihood that treatment will be successful.
When Fiona Murphy was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer and had it treated, she was 25 years old.

She had been experiencing indigestion and stomach cramps for a few years, and various doctors had repeatedly suggested that she might have irritable bowel syndrome.

She stated to BBC News: Before I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, I lived on Gaviscon for a number of months. I carried it everywhere. Without it, I couldn’t leave the house.

“My symptoms were frequent and continuous, though they were vague. You need to be looking for that.”

Her symptoms persisted, and a scan revealed a substantial growth or mass.

Fiona, now 39, has been assisting the Imperial College London team with their research.

She stated, “I wanted to help develop this study because I had the incorrect diagnosis for nearly two years.”

“I want to assist people who are in the same situation as I was in if there is a way to get a diagnosis earlier.

“It is essential to be diagnosed early. I might have had fewer surgeries and more options for fertility if my cancer had been discovered earlier.

Am I in danger?
The lead author of the work funded by Cancer Research UK, Dr. James Flanagan, stated: “Smear test could check risk for other cancers.” The signs and symptoms of cancer that we’re looking for are very common, but in some women, they may be the first signs of something more serious.

“Using shopping data, our study found that women with ovarian cancer purchased more pain and indigestion medications up to eight months before their diagnosis than women without the disease.

This suggests that women may be treating their symptoms at home long before they recognize them as alarming enough to seek medical attention.

The researchers collaborated with 283 female customers who agreed to share their shopping data over a six-year period and two major High Street retailers.

The majority had been told they had ovarian cancer.

The results need to be confirmed by additional research. The team now intends to determine if shopping data can also assist in the detection of other cancers, including bladder, stomach, and liver cancer.

The most recent findings are available in the JMIR Public Health and Surveillance journal.