Recent Comments:
September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
The Cancer Blog
Nov 20th 2007 10:45AM Rebecca, I hope your most recent tests were good news. If however, you received the same news I did after my CT scan this past June, there is one important piece of advise I would like to share. If as in my case they found an ovarian tumor along with your elevated CA125 and say it has to be removed surgically, PLEASE seek out a gynecological oncologist to do the surgery. The initial surgery is so important in respect to your long term outcome. I had many people tell me that there were very capable doctors right in our area and to travel 3 hours to one of the best cancer institutes,(The Moffitt Center) was extreme especially when we didn't even know if it was cancer or not. My attitude was, "well if it is cancer, I want the expert doing the work". And I'm so glad I made that choice because it is cancer. I'm 49 years old, also with two children,(mine are grown) and was diagnosed at stage 1c. I'm almost done with chemo. Please keep us informed. I'll keep checking.
Reaction to ovarian cancer symptoms advisory
The Cancer Blog
Nov 20th 2007 10:16AM I am 49 years old and was diagnosed with stage 1c ovarian cancer in July 2007. I had been complaining of pain during intercourse, urinary frequency and urgency, bleeding after sex, and bleeding between periods for a few years! Of course I didn't have all of these symtoms all the time. I would say the most consistent one was the "small bladder" problem. I always had to "go". Even once or twice in the middle of the night. Being a women in her late forties, most of my symtoms were brushed off as "things are starting to change". I had no idea that these were symptoms of ovarian cancer because I knew nothing about it. Talk about lack of awareness! But I have to wonder where my doctor's heads were at. Surely they should have had a clue. At my last yearly exam in May 2007, now complaining of abdominal bloat,(which was very noticable because I've always worked out and had a very flat stomach)and a period that just never quite ended, dealing with a continuous mucousy discharge daily, my doctor finally ordered a vaginal ultrasound. I had a grapefruit sized tumor on my left ovary. It was not detectable even at this size, in a regular exam. It had been there for "some time" as they put it. So to say that these symtoms are "vague" is NOT true. Pay attention to these signs and insist on the tests you need. By the way, my mother died of colon cancer at age 40 which was also in my health history right in front of the doctor. We as women must be pro-active and get the word out to all women about these important early warning signes.
