As most of you know today (the first Friday in September) is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day and the color for Ovarian Cancer Awareness is teal. Also, check out
TealToes.org, painting your toenails teal to raise ovarian cancer awareness... I think we can all do that. ;) Teal Toes also has a
polish page that lists some teal colored polish names/brands and also nail polish brands that are donating proceeds to the cause when you purchase polish (although they didn't mention
Color Club's ORCF Teals collection).
“Early detection
of ovarian cancer saves women’s lives.
The American Cancer
Society estimates that in 2012, about 22,280 new cases of ovarian cancer will
be diagnosed and 15,500 women will die of ovarian cancer in the United States. More statistics…
According to the data, the mortality rates for ovarian
cancer have not improved in forty years since the “War on Cancer” was declared.
However, other cancers have shown a marked reduction in mortality, due to the
availability of early detection tests and improved treatments. Unfortunately,
this is not the case with ovarian cancer, which is still the deadliest of all
gynecologic cancers.”
Unfortunately, no screening test exists that can test all
women for ovarian cancer. I’ll bet your thinking I get the dreaded Pap test
that’ll catch it. Wrong! 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.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms:
- Bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)
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.
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.
Risk Factors
While most women with ovarian
cancer do not have any known risk factors, some do exist. If a woman has one or
more risk factors, she will not necessarily develop ovarian cancer; however,
her risk may be higher than the average woman’s.
Genetics
About 10 to 15 percent of women
diagnosed with ovarian cancer have a hereditary tendency to develop the
disease. The most significant risk factor for ovarian cancer is an inherited
genetic mutation in one of two genes: breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) or breast
cancer gene 2 (BRCA2). These genes are
responsible for about 5 to 10 percent of all ovarian cancers.
Eastern European women and women
of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are at a higher risk of carrying BRCA1 and BRCA2
mutations.
Since these genes are linked to
both breast and ovarian cancer, women who have had breast cancer have an
increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Another known genetic link to
ovarian cancer is an inherited syndrome called hereditary nonpolyposis
colorectal cancer (HNPCC or Lynch Syndrome). While HNPCC poses the greatest
risk of colon cancer, women with HNPCC have about a 12 percent lifetime risk of
developing ovarian cancer.
Women who have one first-degree
relative with ovarian cancer but no known genetic mutation still have an
increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.
The lifetime risk of a woman who has a first degree relative with
ovarian cancer is five percent (the average woman’s lifetime risk is 1.4
percent).
Increasing Age
- All women are at risk of developing ovarian
cancer regardless of age; however, a woman’s risk is highest during her 60s and
increases with age through her late 70s.
- About 69 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian
cancer in the United States from 2002 to 2006 were 55 or older.
- The median age (at which half of all reported
cases are older and half are younger) at diagnosis is 63.
Reproductive History and Infertility
Research suggests a relationship
between the number of menstrual cycles in a woman’s lifetime and her risk of
developing ovarian cancer. A woman is at an increased risk if she:
- started menstruating at an early age (before
12),
- has not given birth to any children,
- had her first child after 30,
- experienced menopause after 50,
- has never taken oral contraceptives.
- Infertility, regardless of whether or not a
woman uses fertility drugs, also increases the risk of ovarian cancer.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Doctors may prescribe hormone
replacement therapy to alleviate symptoms associated with menopause (hot
flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness, vaginal dryness) that occur as the body
adjusts to decreased levels of estrogen. Hormone replacement therapy usually
involves treatment with either estrogen alone (for women who have had a
hysterectomy) or a combination of estrogen with progesterone or progestin (for
women who have not had a hysterectomy).
Women who use menopausal hormone
therapy are at an increased risk for ovarian cancer. Recent studies indicate
that using a combination of estrogen and progestin for five or more years
significantly increases the risk of ovarian cancer in women who have not had a
hysterectomy. Ten or more years of estrogen use increases the risk of ovarian
cancer in women who have had a hysterectomy.
Obesity
Various studies have found a link
between obesity and ovarian cancer. A 2009 study found that obesity was
associated with an almost 80 percent higher risk of ovarian cancer in women 50
to 71 who had not taken hormones after menopause.
Reducing Risk
Women can reduce the risk of
developing ovarian cancer in many ways; however, there is no prevention method
for the disease. All women are at risk because ovarian cancer does not strike
only one ethnic or age group. A
healthcare professional can help a woman identify ways to reduce her risk as
well as decide if consultation with a genetic counselor is appropriate.
The use of oral contraceptives
decreases the risk of developing ovarian cancer, especially when used for
several years. Women who use oral contraceptives for five or more years have
about a 50 percent lower risk of developing ovarian cancer than women who have
never used oral contraceptives. “ -
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance
You can go
here to donate or shop to support
the cause. Wishing Much Love and Happy, Healthy Ovaries to you ALL, The Dragon Lady
