As I have already mentioned, my mother-in-law Venise was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her early 50's. I had little knowledge of this disease and the warning signs before her diagnosis. I have learned a lot more since then, but I still know very little about this silent killer! I found a website where you can take a 10 question quiz to test your knowledge... go ahead and give it a shot... see what you know!
So, how did you do? I got 7 out of the 10 right, but what amazed me was how much I learned just by reading the blurbs of info after each question.
Here are a few things I found amazing and yet scary...
Almost 70 percent of women with the common epithelial ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until the disease is advanced in stage - i.e., has spread to the upper abdomen (stage III) or beyond (stage IV). The 5-year survival rate for these women is as low as 29 percent, whereas the 5-year survival rate for stage I disease patients is over 90 percent and for stage II disease patients approaches 70 percent. Early detection is so important!
It is important to remember that both men AND women carry the cancer causing mutations and genes. Any one with family history of this cancer has the potential of passing it down through generations.
While the symptoms of ovarian cancer (particularly in the early stages) are often not acute or intense, they are not silent. These are some of the potential signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer: Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort; vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion; frequency and/or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection; unexplained weight gain or weight loss; pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness; Ongoing unusual fatigue; Unexplained changes in bowel habits.
I hope you learned as much as I did, and please share it with a friend... this knowledge could save a life!
I got 6 out of 10 correct... thank you for sharing the information!
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