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Saturday, 2 February, 2008 6:55 PM
Protecting Yourself From Ovarian
Cancer
PITTSBURG
– WomenEtcetera! a new online community for women over 50
began the year with a clear mission. “The interests and concerns
of mature, modern women are our main focus,” explains Suzanne
Caplan, founder and CEO of www.WomenEtcetera.com.
“With ovarian cancer being such a primary – although
little discussed danger – we are partnering with a high level
professional group to work on this issue. If ovarian cancer is diagnosed
in time the cure rate is high, and that is our goal.”
Vivian Heard, spokesperson for The Ovarian Cancer Institute, said
“There is never a more pertinent time to spread awareness
about ovarian cancer than the present. Perhaps the good news about
ovarian cancer is that if it’s detected early, it has a 90%
cure rate. The bad news is that over 70% of women aren’t diagnosed
until an advanced stage. One in 55 women in the United States will
be diagnosed this year and more than 15,000 will die from the disease.
Mortality rates from ovarian cancer are the highest among all gynecologic
cancers.
With ovarian cancer becoming an increasingly serious issue, it is
heartening to see that the medical industry is keeping pace. Benedict
B. Benigno, M.D., is a world-renowned surgeon and gynecologic oncologist,
specializing in ovarian cancer. He has treated women from ages 16
to 60-plus and has made it his priority to discover an early detection
tool for ovarian cancer. Besides being Founder and Executive Director
of Southeastern Gynecologic Oncology at Northside Hospital in Atlanta,
he is also founder and CEO of the Ovarian Cancer Institute (OCI),
housed at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Together
with John McDonald, PhD, Chief Research Scientist at OCI, and their
team of scientists, their ongoing behind-the-scenes work aims to
change the face of ovarian cancer once and for all.
In the meantime, women of all ages can take the following actions
in protecting themselves and better understanding their personal
risks when it comes to ovarian cancer. All women are strongly advised
to:
i. Know their bodies well and pay attention to any changes, no matter
how subtle – including abdominal weight gain and bloating,
abdominal pain, difficultly eating or swallowing, indigestion, frequent
or urgent urination and unusual post-menopausal bleeding.
ii. Understand that many cancers do not discriminate when it comes
to age – including ovarian cancer. You can never be too old,
or too young to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
iii. Be aware of their family history, to better ascertain if they
are at a greater risk from ovarian or breast cancer. For example;
Jewish women of Ashkenazi decent, those who started their periods
at a young age, and women who have a history of breast cancer are
in a higher risk category than other women.
“Genetic screening might be in order for higher risk women,
as approximately 10% of ovarian cancer is caused by a mutation in
the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes,” explains Dr. Benigno, concluding
that “Any female who takes a proactive step in getting screened
could very well be taking a lifesaving measure.”
About Suzanne
Caplan and WomenEtcetera!
www.WomenEtcetera.com
provides information on finances, health, careers as well as fun
for the active women over fifty who wish to be a part of a like-minded
community of their peers. This website is also a blog-site offering
a variety of voices on the challenges, as well as the absurdities,
of life. Suzanne Caplan recommends that “We learn to laugh
at ourselves as well as the others who underestimate us. We are
still a generation to be reckoned with and we know how to make a
difference.”
Source: News and
Experts
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