September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Just over 6.5 years ago I was diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer. Since diagnosis, I have had two surgeries, now on my 12th type of treatment. I deal with ovarian cancer ongoing, still trying to make a difference by raising awareness.

Do you know the signs and symptoms? The odds of beating ovarian cancer are so low because it is diagnosed in the late stages of the disease. If detected early your chance of remission and survival increase greatly. The problem is, in the early stage, it is often a silent condition producing few noticeable signs and symptoms. As a tumor grows in an ovary, it may exert pressure on your bowel, bladder and other organs in your abdominal cavity, causing symptoms that are easily confused with those of other conditions. Many symptoms can be indications of other less serious conditions, but if they persist they may indicate ovarian cancer.

Take action if any symptoms occur almost daily for more than a few weeks.

Consult your doctor if you experience any or all of the following signs and symptoms: abdominal pressure, bloating or discomfort; nausea, indigestion or gas; constipation, diarrhea, frequent urination; abnormal bleeding; unusual fatigue; unexplained weight loss or gain; shortness of breath.

I had all but one of these symptoms. Experts suggest a combination pelvic/rectal exam, a transvaginal ultrasound, and a CA 125 blood test and if ovarian cancer is suspected, consult a gynecologic oncologist.

Ovarian cancer, the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers, is the fourth leading cause of cancer death among women living in the United States. It is diagnosed in about 23,000 women in the U.S. each year, and almost 16,000 women die of the disease annually.

Please help raise awareness and get the word out to women and physicians of the risks and symptoms, you can help change the statistics.  If you would like more information, go to  http://www.mnovarian.org or contact me at  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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