September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
In 2007, US President George W. Bush proclaimed September as the National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. This month is dedicated to raise awareness about ovarian cancer, to remember the victims of this disease, and to show appreciation to the health care professionals who are helping fight the disease.
It is no coincidence that the 7th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Symposium is being held in Seattle this month. During the two-day symposium (September 4 to 5), new scientific knowledge on ovarian cancer will be presented. More than 50 researchers will share their latest research findings.
It is estimated that more than 15,000 women die from cancer of the ovary every year. Those who survive lose their ovaries through surgery, resulting in infertility and premature menopausal.
Ovarian cancer is used to be called the “silent killer” because the symptoms of the disease only become evident at a very late stage - thus making it difficult to treat. Research is therefore being stepped up on early detection diagnostic tests - with promising reuslts. Last June, a combination of symptom screening and blood tests increased the efficiency of early detection of ovarian cancer by 20%. It is expected that this month’s symposium will bring more good tidings and bring us a step closer to beating ovarian cancer.
According to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research, the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are as follows:
- Bloating, discomfort or pain in the abdomen
- Increased abdominal size
- Feeling full right after eating
- Increased frequency in urinations
- Constipation
- Lack of energy
- Vaginal bleeding
Comment on this blog...