Lack of Screening Makes Ovarian Cancer Especially Deadly

One thing that makes ovarian cancer so much more dangerous than many other cancers is that there is no concrete screen process for the disease. KATC TV takes a look at how the lack of a screening affects the progression of ovarian cancer:

"Ovarian cancer effects about one in 70 women."

Not nearly as common as breast cancer, which effects about one in eight women, but gynecologic oncologist Dr. William Roy says it's often more deadly.

"The real issue is that we don't have a good screening program for ovarian cancer and people also write off symptoms of developing ovarian cancer."

Symptoms like weight gain, bloating and gas and constipation.

"These things are dismissed until multiple symptoms or problems develop and then we are able to evaluate them and we identify they have very widespread ovarian cancer."

In addition to lack of screening, Roy says it can be difficult to pinpoint who's most at risk.

"It's very difficult, outside of genetics, say there is a particular risk factor, family history is certainly one of those."

Roy says women should be aware of their family history and be sure not to write-off possible symptoms. Dr. Roy is the only gynecologic oncologist in the Acadiana region. He has only been at the Cancer Center of Acadiana at Lafayette General for several months and already is serving a large number of patients.

Read the full article and watch the video of the report here: http://bit.ly/1unsyBl