Early signs of ovarian cancer

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Bob Hurt,

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KATHY'S STORY: this is the story of Kathy West

As all of you know, I have Primary Peritoneal Cancer. This

cancer has only

recently been identified as its OWN type of cancer, but it is

essentially Ovarian Cancer.

Both types of cancer are diagnosed in the same way, with the

" tumor marker "

CA-125 BLOOD TEST, and they are treated in the same way - surgery to

remove the

primary tumor and then chemotherapy with Taxol and Carboplatin.

Having gone through this ordeal, I want to save others from the

same fate .

That is why I am sending this message to you and hope you will print it

and give it or

send it via E-mail to everybody you know.

One thing I have learned is that each of us must take TOTAL

responsibility

for our own health care. I thought I had done that because I always had

an annual

physical and PAP smear, did a monthly Self-Breast Exam, went to the

dentist at least

twice a year, etc. I even insisted on a sigmoidoscopy and a bone density

test last year.

When I had a total hysterectomy in 1993, I thought that I did not have

to worry about

getting any of the female reproductive organ cancers.

LITTLE DID I KNOW. I don't have ovaries (and they were HEALTHY

when

they were removed), but I have what is essentially ovarian cancer.

Strange, isn't it?

These are just SOME of the things our Doctors never tell us: ONE

out of

every 55 women will get OVARIAN or PRIMARY PERITONEAL CANCER.

The " CLASSIC " symptoms are an ABDOMEN that rather SUDDENLY

ENLARGES and CONSTIPATION and/or DIARRHEA.

I had these classic symptoms and went to the doctor. Because

these

symptoms seemed to be " abdominal " , I went to a gastroenterologist. He

ran tests that

were designed to determine whether there was a bacteria infection; these

tests were

negative, and I was diagnosed with " Irritable Bowel Syndrome " . I guess I

would have

accepted this diagnosis had it not been for my enlarged abdomen. I swear

to you, it

looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant! I therefore insisted on more

tests

They took an X-ray of my abdomen; it was negative. I was again

assured that

I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome and was encouraged to go on my scheduled

month-

long trip to Europe. I couldn't wear any of my slacks or shorts because

I couldn't get

them buttoned, and I KNEW something was radically wrong. I INSISTED on

more

tests, and they reluctantly) scheduled me for a CT-Scan (just to shut me

up, I think).

This is what I mean by " taking charge of our own health care. "

The CT-Scan showed a lot of fluid in my abdomen (NOT normal).

Needless

to say, I had to cancel my trip and have FIVE POUNDS of fluid drawn off

at the hospital

(not a pleasant experience I assure you), but NOTHING compared to what

was ahead

of me.

Tests revealed cancer cells in the fluid. Finally, finally,

finally, the doctor ran a

CA-125 blood test, and I was properly diagnosed.

I HAD THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS FOR OVARIAN CANCER, AND YET

THIS SIMPLE CA-125 BLOOD TEST HAD NEVER BEEN RUN ON ME, not as part of

my annual physical exam and not when I was symptomatic. This is an

inexpensive and

simple blood test!

PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR FEMALE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES

TO INSIST ON A CA-125 BLOOD TEST EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL

PHYSICAL EXAMS.

Be fore warned that their doctors might try to talk them out of

it, saying, " IT

ISN'T NECESSARY. " Believe me, had I known then what I know now, we would

have

caught my cancer much earlier (before it was a stage 3 cancer). Insist

on the CA-125

BLOOD TEST; DO NOT take " NO " for an answer!

The normal range for a CA-125 BLOOD TEST is between zero and 35.

MINE

WAS 754. (That's right, 754!). If the number is slightly above 35, you

can have another

done in three or six months and keep a close eye on it, just as women do

when they

have fibroid tumors or when men have a slightly elevated PSA test

(Prostatic Specific

Antigens) that helps diagnose prostate cancer.

Having the CA-125 test done annually can alert you early, and

that's the goal

in diagnosing any type of cancer - catching it early.

Do you know any over 55 women? If so, at least one of them will

have this VERY

AGGRESSIVE cancer. Please, go to your doctor and insist on a CA-125 test

and have

one EVERY YEAR for the rest of your life.

And forward this message to every woman you know, and tell all

of your

female family members and friends. Though the median age for this cancer

is 56, (and,

guess what, I'm exactly 56), women as young as 22 have it. Age is no

factor.

A NOTE FROM THE RN:

Well , after reading this, I made some calls. I found that the

CA-125 test is an

ovarian screening test equivalent to a man's PSA test prostate screen

(which my

husband's doctor automatically gives him in his physical each year and

insurance pays

for it). I called the general practitioner's office about having the

test done. The nurse

had never heard of it She told me that she doubted that insurance would

pay for it. So I

called Prudential Insurance Co, and got the same response. Never heard

of it - it won't

be covered.

I explained that it was the same as the PSA test they had paid

for my

husband for years. After conferring with whomever they confer with, she

told me that

the CA-125 would be covered.

It is $75 in a GP's office and $125 at the GYN's. This is a

screening test that

should be required just like a PAP smear (a PAP smear cannot detect

problems with

your ovaries). And you must insist that your insurance company pay for

it.

Gene Wilder and Pierce Brosnan (whose wives died of it) are

lobbying for

women's health issues, saying that this test should be required in our

physicals, just

like the PAP and the mammogram. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO SEND THIS OUT

TO ALL THOSE YOU CAN. BE IT MALE OR FEMALE, IT SHOULD NOT MATTER,

AS THEY CAN FORWARD IT ALSO TO THOSE LOVED ONES THEY KNOW.

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