The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition does not stop raising awareness on ovarian cancer when September, ovarian cancer awareness month, comes to a close. The Connecticut Chapter continues to reach out into the community to educate on the early signs and symptoms in order to increase early detection and survival rates for women year round.
Because there is currently no early detection test for ovarian cancer, raising awareness on the early signs and symptoms is key to saving lives. When detected early, the 5-year survival ate is over 90%. Unfortunately, because the symptoms are so vague, only 14.7% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in stage 1, when the cancer is confined to the ovaries.
Early warning signs for women to be aware of include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and feeling the need to urinate urgently or often. Other symptoms may include fatigue, upset stomach or heartburn, back pain, pain during sex, constipation and menstrual changes. If these symptoms are NEW to women and persisting for 2 weeks or more, they may want to consider talking with their doctor about a transvaginal ultrasound, which is the most accurate way to detect ovarian cancer.
Risk factors for ovarian cancer include genetic predisposition, personal or family history of breast, uterine, colon, rectal or ovarian cancers, increasing age, undesired infertility and obesity. It is important for women who fall into theses categories to be proactive in communicating with their physicians.
While the NOCC places emphasis on education, the organization also provides support to newly diagnosed women in hospitals across the nation and invests in new research each year.
With the support of our communities, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition will continue to work tirelessly to prevent and cure ovarian cancer, and to improve the quality of life for survivors.
Read the full article here: http://cour.at/1HEtGsp
0 comments:
Post a Comment