September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Advocates and researchers at the University of Michigan hope that increased awareness about ovarian cancer can save lives.Here is what they want you to know.
1. Symptoms do exist. Bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating, feeling full quickly, and frequent or urgent urinating are have been shown to be related to a possible case of ovarian cancer and if they persist you should see your doctor.
2. There is no early detection screening test currently.
3. All women should get yearly pelvic exams.
4. Ovarian cancer is difficult to treat because it's often resistant to current treatments.
5. Survival rates are better at the early stage.
6. Most common in older white women.
7. A small number of ovarian cancers are hereditary, linked to the same genes that are linked to breast cancer, BRCA1 and BRCA2.
8. The best person to treat ovarian cancer is a gynecologic oncologist.
1. I am so scared. I have had two left ovarian cysts rupture and now I have had one CA125 test come back elevated. I have to do more bloodwork next week to see if it is any lower (due to the cyst going away) but I have all the other sympotms. I am always feeling sick for NO REASON! I have costipation, gas, bloating my stomach is huge I have pelvic and lower back pain and I get full very fast. I have gained weight and always feel tiered. I am scared, I have two children and dont want ovarian cancer.
Posted at 7:03PM on Nov 2nd 2007 by Rebecca Hopper