Ovarian Cancer Detection Guide

Research suggests that the majority of women with ovarian cancer experience symptoms. Symptoms vary and often depend on the location of the tumor and its impact on the surrounding organs. Many ovarian cancer symptoms mimic those of less life-threatening conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.

In June 2007, the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, and the American Cancer Society, with significant support from the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, formed a consensus statement on ovarian cancer, agreeing that the disease has specific symptoms.

The Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Consensus Statement:
Historically ovarian cancer was called the “silent killer” because symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of cure was poor. However, recent studies have shown this term is untrue and that the following symptoms are much more likely to occur in women with ovarian cancer than women in the general population. These symptoms include:

• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Urinary urgency or frequency
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly

Women with ovarian cancer report that symptoms are persistent and represent a change from normal for their bodies. The frequency and/or number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Several studies show that even early stage ovarian cancer can produce these symptoms.

Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.

Several other symptoms have been commonly reported by women with ovarian cancer. These symptoms include fatigue, indigestion, back pain, pain with intercourse, constipation and menstrual irregularities. However, these other symptoms are not as useful in identifying ovarian cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the general population who do not have ovarian cancer.

EARLY DETECTION

Early detection of ovarian cancer saves women’s lives. No screening test exists that can test all women for ovarian cancer. The Pap test does not test for ovarian cancer; it screens for cervical cancer.

Not only do researchers need to develop an early detection test for ovarian cancer, like mammograms for breast cancer and Pap tests for cervical cancer, but also women and medical professionals need to become more aware of ovarian cancer symptoms.

While no early detection tool exists for all women, several tests exist for women who are at a high risk. If a woman has ovarian cancer symptoms, a strong family history, or a genetic predisposition such as a BRCA mutation, doctors may monitor her with one of three tests or a combination of them:

Blood Test

• The protein CA-125 exists in greater concentration in cancerous cells. Though a high count of this protein may help doctors identify ovarian cancer, premenopausal women may have an elevated CA-125 due to benign conditions unrelated to ovarian cancer. Uterine fibroids, liver disease, inflammation of the fallopian tubes, and other types of cancer can raise a woman’s CA-125 level, often causing a false positive test for ovarian cancer.

• Although the CA-125 blood test is more accurate in postmenopausal women, it is not a reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer. In about 20 percent of advanced stage ovarian cancer cases and 50 percent of early stage cases, the CA-125 is not elevated even though ovarian cancer is present. As a result, doctors generally use the CA-125 blood test in combination with a transvaginal ultrasound.

• The CA-125 blood test can be an important tool for evaluating the disease’s progress and tumors’ response to treatment. Additionally, this test can monitor a woman’s CA-125 level for evidence of recurrence.

• OVA1 has also been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for risk stratification.  A woman who presents with a known tumor may have this test to determine if her surgery should be done by a gynecologist or a gynecologic oncologist – doctors who are specially trained to treat women with gynecologic cancers.

Transvaginal Ultrasound

• A transvaginal ultrasound is a test used to examine a woman’s reproductive organs and bladder.

• To administer the test, the doctor inserts a probe into the woman’s vagina. The probe sends off sound waves which reflect off body structures. The waves are then received by a computer that turns them into a picture.

Pelvic Exam

• A pelvic exam should be a part of a woman’s regular female health exam.

• This exam requires the doctor to place one or two fingers into a woman’s vagina and another over her abdomen to feel the size, shape, and position of the ovaries and uterus. Ovarian cancer is rarely detected in a pelvic exam and usually in an advanced stage if it is.

DIAGNOSIS

If a woman has the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, her doctor will probably perform a complete pelvic exam, a transvaginal or pelvic ultrasound, and a CA-125 blood test. Used individually, these tests are not definitive; they are most effective when used in combination with each other. Doctors may also use a CT scan or PET scan as part of the diagnostic process. The only definitive way to determine if a patient has ovarian cancer is through surgery and biopsy.

Gynecologic Oncologist
Multiple studies conducted over the past decade have shown that an ovarian cancer patient’s chance of survival is significantly improved when her surgery is performed by a gynecologic oncologist. One analysis of multiple studies found that women whose surgeries were performed by gynecologic oncologists had a median survival time that was 50 percent greater than women whose surgeries were done by general gynecologists or other surgeons inexperienced in optimal debulking procedures. Sometimes referred to as cytoreductive surgery, debulking involves removal of as much of the tumor as possible.

As part of the debulking procedure, doctors try to stage definitively the disease and identify the optimal treatment for the cancer. Proper staging and optimal debulking translate into improved overall survival for women at any stage of ovarian cancer.

Gynecologic oncologists have greater success in treating ovarian cancer as a result of their tendency to perform more aggressive surgery. Women whose tumors have been reduced to less than one centimeter have a better response to chemotherapy and improved survival rate. Gynecologic oncologists also are more likely to perform the multiple peritoneal and lymph node biopsies necessary to ensure adequate surgical staging.

The Women’s Cancer Network has a “Find a Doctor” feature on its Web site (www.wcn.org) where visitors can search for a gynecologic oncologists by ZIP code. Women can also find the nearest gynecologic oncologist by calling (800) 444-4441 .

Information courtesy of: http://www.ovariancancer.org/about-ovarian-cancer/detection/

10 Ways to Help a Friend with Cancer

Candace Williams says nothing can prepare you for when your doctor turns to you and says 'you have cancer.' Yet, that's precisely what happened to her in March, 2011. The 36 year-old esthetician, salon owner and mother of two didn't fit the profile of the typical breast cancer patient. Nonetheless she faced the disease head-on juggling everything during a year of treatment.

"Being sick was really tough for me," she said. "My darkest hour was mid-way through the chemotherapy. I would get sick, and as soon as I started to feel better, I would have to go and get sick again."

Williams faced challenges unique to young women diagnosed with cancer. So often, they are the youngest person in the waiting room and are surrounded by friends who have no frame of reference for what they're going through. In addition to fertility, sex and intimacy and body image challenges, they experience isolation. Online support groups like BrightPink.org and YoungSurvival.org can be incredibly valuable.

So often friends rally around asking what they can do. Besides pray - to whomever, and make it go away - forever, it's hard to know how friends and relatives can help. Here are ten ideas to help a friend battling cancer.

1. Offer specific help. Assume that she needs you and is either reluctant to ask or unable to articulate her needs. Saying "if you need anything, call me" puts the burden on the patient. Psychotherapist Robi Ludwig, and Care.com parenting expert suggests you offer pragmatic things such as driving carpool, making dinner (Take Them a Meal is a great resource to use as you can create a schedule for the family so people won't prepare tuna noodle casseroles six nights in a row!), doing the laundry or the kids' homework. And with her anti-bodies (and energy) at an all-time low, she'll need a healthy meal and a clean home more than ever. See if you can find a cleaning person to work around her chemo schedule. This might be a gift a few friends can chip in on.

2. Help her find a great wig. Before chemo, take her to start looking for a wig to match her hair color, texture and style. Since a good wig can be very expensive, consider taking up a collection for her from friends. Nonprofits like CancerCare and the American Cancer Society provide wigs, prostheses and mastectomy bras to women who can't afford them. You can also arrange for girlfriends to donate hair to Beautiful Lengths or Locks of Love to support the production of quality wigs - and to show her your support.

3. Get pictures taken. Now might not seem like the best time for a glamour shoot, but before your friend loses her hair, gains or loses weight depending on the drug side-effects, and feels really run down, arrange for a private session with a photographer. Get the family session, but also make sure he takes portraits of her alone. They can be inspirational and empowering for people about to embark on a journey like this.

4. Respect her care decisions. While it may be tempting to bombard her with well-meaning advice, offer to share additional or alternate resources only if she wants them. "She may feel very connected to her doctor and interpret this as trying to take that away," says Ludwig.

5. Be a health buddy. Cancer patients are overwhelmed by information and emotions caused by endless treatments and doctor appointments. Be her eyes, ears and brain by attending doctors' appointments or handling time-consuming healthcare and insurance tasks. "Sit with her in the waiting room, join her for a cup of tea right before and be there in appointments to be her CNT or Chief Note Taker," says Lindsay Avner, founder and CEO of Bright Pink.

6. Take her mind off cancer. No matter how well-intentioned, talking about cancer gets old quickly for someone whose life is already consumed by the disease. Let your friend know that you are there to listen and allow her to take the lead about the discussion. She'd welcome hearing funny stories, having a spa day or a sleep-over just to take her mind off her illness.

7. Understand her flakiness. One day she may want to be alone and the next day she may want to be surrounded by friends. Let her know you're OK if she cancels and don't take it personally if a few calls, texts or emails go unanswered, says Avner. Given what she's going through, this is to be expected.

8. Establish an online information warehouse. Answering the same questions about her treatment, diagnosis and/or prognosis can be exhausting and time-consuming. Offer to set up a Facebook page or blog where friends and associates can go for updates on her care and health status. She can manage it, if she's up to it. Or you can post the info she wants people to know. Using a private blog or group can also help you coordinate the carpooling,babysitting and meal-making the local followers will want to take off her hands. Some resources for this areNavigating Cancer and Lotsa Helping Hands. Both allow your friend to set up a personal profile or blog so friends and family are up-to-date with their treatment. A calendar is system is also used to coordinate help such as meals, driving, etc. Caring Bridge is another resource and a great to share what is going on with friends and family through an online journal.

9. Give only the right gift what she needs. Avner advises skipping the flowers, food and perfumes since women are often sensitive while going through treatment. When cancer survivor Diem Brown realized that many friends wanted to give a gift but didn't know what was appropriate, she started MedGift, the first ever patients' gift registry where people coping with illness or health conditions can post their gift needs, wants and wishes. Help with medical bills, a portable DVD player for the chemo treatments, gift cards to a local caterer are some examples. And if a friend is uncomfortable starting the registry herself, offer to organize it for her.

10. Don't disappear. The trauma of having cancer doesn't go away when treatment ends. Even if she recovers, your friendship is still crucial. This is the time when she has to let go of expectations and listen to her body. "In the past, she may have been a go, go, go social type but now she may need more rest and balance," says Avner. "Creating a new normal and finding the love and trust in her body post-treatment continue well after the last treatment is finished."

Read more: http://www.care.com/child-care-10-ways-to-help-a-friend-with-cancer-p1017-q16102117.html#utm_content=1017&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=general_general&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=%2F&

Close relationships tied to ovarian cancer survival

Women with ovarian cancer may have somewhat better survival odds when they feel emotionally supported by family and friends, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that of 168 ovarian cancer patients, there were 95 deemed to have "high social attachment" - meaning they had relationships that made them feel emotionally secure and closely connected to at least one other person.

And after almost five years, 59 percent of those women were still alive, versus 38 percent of patients with lesser emotional bonds.

The researchers are not sure of the reasons for the link. It seemed to go beyond practical factors, like having someone who helps you out day-to-day. But the study cannot say whether a close emotional relationship, itself, affects women's survival odds.

And a researcher not involved in the work cautioned against making too much of the findings.

It is "strictly a correlational study," said James C. Coyne, director of the behavioral oncology program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, in an email.

"And," he told Reuters Health, it bears repeating that "correlations do not establish causality."

There could be various reasons for the connection between emotional support and survival, according Dr. Susan K. Lutgendorf of the University of Iowa in Iowa City, who led the new study.

"We're talking about people who feel a close connection with someone else. They feel they have someone they can confide in," Lutgendorf said.

One possibility is that women with such supportive relationships feel less stress - which, in turn, might affect their well-being in a number of ways. Based on other research, people who feel support from family and friends may stick with their medical treatment more closely, Lutgendorf noted.

But in past studies, she and her colleagues have seen some potential direct links. They've found that ovarian cancer patients' levels of "social attachment" seem to correlate with certain markers of inflammation and immune function, for instance.

Still, no one knows if close emotional relationships can actually boost women's cancer survival odds.

In fact, Coyne said, some clinical trials have looked at whether boosting social support, through support groups or psychotherapy, can extend cancer patients' lives.

"And the findings are universally negative," he said.

These latest results, reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, are based on 168 women who were followed from the time of surgery for their ovarian cancer. They all completed questionnaires on social support and depression symptoms.

Ninety-five women scored high enough to fall into the category of strong emotional support.

The researchers found that even when they weighed depression and other factors - like age and the stage of the cancer - emotional support, itself, was still linked to somewhat better survival.

Women who felt strong support were 13 percent less likely to die during the study period.

On the other hand, "instrumental" support was not tied to survival.

"That means having someone who can provide concrete support," Lutgendorf explained. "Do you have someone who can take you to and from doctor visits? Do you have someone who can get your groceries?"

She said it was surprising that type of support was not also linked to survival.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/07/24/close-relationships-tied-to-ovarian-cancer-survival/#ixzz22UEaEk00

Thank you To Our Sponsors!

Thank you for supporting the 12th Annual Laurel Auto Group Pro-Am Charity Golf Classic. We hope you enjoyed your day as much as we did planning it. We appreciate the support you have given financially and personally. We want you to be assured your dollars have been and will be well spent providing education for women of all ages about gynecological cancers.

Sincerely,

The Smith Family

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Please remember the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer:

Bloating

Feeling of fullness, gas

Frequent or urgent urination

Nausea, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea

Abnormal Bleeding

Unusual fatigue

Unexplained weight change

Shortness of breath

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) Will Participate in the Golf Classic On Monday at Sunnehanna

As many of you are aware, the Smith Family's annual Laurel Auto Group Pro-Am Charity Golf Classic will be held on Monday, July 23rd at Sunnehanna Country Club.  This year during the event, we will be hosting a lemonade stand near the #13 tee box and 100% of the money raised will be donated to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF).  This foundation has raised millions toward finding a cure and funding innovative childhood cancer research projects nationally!  That said, if you (and your family) are available, please come out and join me in this national endeavor to fight childhood cancer and share the experience in giving back!

Please visit their fundraising page for more information or to donate.
http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/85819

The Story of Joanna Montgomery

Joanna Montgomery gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and then five days later found out the mass on her fallopian tube, discovered during birth, was an aggressive form of cancer. That was December 2011.  Follow her incredible journey as she not only fights this disease but experiences all of the joys (and exhaustion) new motherhood has to offer. On YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV18ONAQWcM&feature=youtu.be or on her blog http://thestir.cafemom.com/column/mommy_has_cancer

Ovarian cancer patient wants to help others pay for treatment

Crystal Elliott is trying to help others who are battling Ovarian Cancer pay for their treatment.

Crystal Elliott said finding out she had ovarian cancer was a life-changer. It was in January, a few days after major surgery to remove painful tumors from her ovaries. Doctors told her she would need months of chemotherapy treatments to make sure the aggressive form of the disease was banished from her body. Soon after, Elliott began to get big bills for portions of her care not covered by private health insurance. More than once, she had to pay $800 for a $4,000 injection needed as part of her chemotherapy regimen. While she was able to pay her bills, Elliott said she started thinking about all the people who might not be able to afford the high price of beating cancer.

Health statistics show that about 22,000 women a year are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, typically in those older than 60. Nearly 15,000 women die from the disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And as the U.S. economy continues to slump, Elliott said, she hates the thought of any woman having to choose between paying for pricey cancer drugs or feeding her family. Even as she continues her own exhausting treatments, Elliott recently gathered a group of friends and colleagues together to create a board of directors for the nonprofit foundation they named Teal Life. The color teal has been used nationally in recent years to signify ovarian cancer.

For about two years, Elliott has owned and operated Tessie Lee's Café in the building that houses local IRS offices on Montlimar Drive in Mobile. She tries to go in to work most mornings, she said, to help bake fresh cookies and cupcakes for customers. In recent months, Elliott sold T-shirts in the lobby of the building, collecting about $2,800 to cover start-up costs of the foundation.Besides helping women who need assistance paying for cancer treatments, Elliott also wants men and women to know more about the early signs of the disease. Symptoms of ovarian cancer include persistent bloating, feeling full even when eating little, and abdominal pain.

"They call it the silent killer because most of the symptoms resemble something else," Elliott said. "It affects the way your bowels move and causes stomach pains."

Next month, Teal Life will have its first fundraiser on July 22 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the OK Bicycle Shop on Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile. Live music, food and a silent auction will be featured, she said. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased by calling 251-343-6595 or visiting the website teallifefoundation.org after July 1. The café Elliott opened two years ago was named for her deceased grandmother, who encouraged her to follow her dreams. "God's plan just worked it all out," Elliott said. "It's totally changed my life to be able to help others." Elliot, 41, said her doctors are hopeful about her prognosis. When the Teal Life website is up and running in July, she also hopes to include information there to assist others with similar health issues.

"People who have friends that are diagnosed with any type of cancer," Elliott said, "send them a text message, see how they are doing, take them some food or just take them out of the house when they feel better. That's been the most helpful thing."

Article courtesy of: http://blog.al.com/live/2012/06/ovarian_cancer_patient_wants_t.html