September was filled with fabulous awareness activities -
from the beautiful teal lights, waters flowing teal, fun walks with furry
friends and wellness lunches to share symptom awareness. As we turn the page to
a new month, ovarian cancer symptom awareness events don’t have to come to an
end.
The turning of teal to pink is marked by Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer week. The result of
the efforts of FORCE, the goal of HBOC week is to raise awareness about
hereditary cancer. Knowing your family history is vital to understanding your
level of risk. Removing the stigma of cancer diagnosis and open discussion of
family history – among both men and women – be it ovarian, breast, colon or
prostate cancer – is essential for empowering your health.
There are small steps in our circle of influence that help
promote ovarian cancer awareness. Consider adding the NOCC Cancer Quiz to your
email signature or Facebook page. Although sandal season may be coming to a
close, have a supply of Teal Toes cards available to leave with your tip at
your next manicure or latte. Keep those hooks and needles moving for Teal Hat Project
and share your good wishes with a survivor.
Always ready to take the opportunity to educate, Team Chasen
A Cure will be at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library Chamber Health Fair on
Saturday, October 5th. Continually speaking on symptoms,
self-awareness and health advocacy is an effort to make TEAL as recognizable as
pink. Don't let the turn of the calendar page keep you from supporting ovarian cancer warriors in their daily fight
Ovarian Cancer is a women’s disease
True or False. Very much False.
More than 80 genetic 'spelling
mistakes' of DNA that can increase the risk of breast, prostate and ovarian
cancer have been discovered. And remember breast cancer is not just pink but
also can affect men. It is essential to track your genetic family history of both the women and men. Science Daily reports, "For the first time, the
researchers also have a relatively clear picture of the total number of genetic
alterations that can be linked to these cancers."
No one is immune to genetic
deviations, we all have them – the affect is dependent on where they are found
on the DNA. Finding the misspellings for Ovarian Cancer, some of which are more prevalent than BRAC1 and BRAC2, has a trifold outcome: the ability to calculate the
individual risk of cancer, to better understand how Ovarian Cancer
develops, and to be able to generate new, personalized treatments. This research
could lead to better screening and prevention strategies. Understanding the risks
helps you make informed choices based on your personal risk factors.
"Our
hope is that these genetic variants, along with established epidemiologic
factors, such as reproductive history, will not only enhance our ability to
predict which women are at increased risk for developing this highly fatal
disease, but will also provide new insight into the underlying biology and
pathogenesis of ovarian cancer," said epidemiologist Joellen Schildkraut, PhD, director of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences program at Duke
Cancer Institute.
Understanding your risk and
the confidence to fight for the empowerment of your health care is the subject of
the new independent film Decoding Annie Parker. Helen Hunt plays geneticist
Mary Clair King, the researcher who isolated the BRAC1 gene, entwined
with the story of Annie Parker’s attempts to convince everyone of what she believed
in her heart after watching her mother and sister die – that the disease was
not random and that she was at risk to develop breast cancer. Help spread the
word about Annie Parker. It is a fresh outlet to encourage the conversations
about tracing the roots of the family tree and speaking up for your care.
These are personal stories of how the Scrabble
game of our DNA plays out. We would like to think that we have 100% control
over our bodies, that if we just lived the holistic life, we would be disease
free. Once we know the facts, we can ask for as much control as we can to
manage our own risks.
Even if you don’t think that your
family is at risk, make sure you know all the factors and include all sides and
members of your family tree – both men and women.
Men should be as diligent as women to share Ovarian Cancer symptoms and encourage those who have symptoms to seek medical
attention. With the most prevalently age of diagnosis over 55, when the
symptoms could be construed as menopause or stress, too many women will not put
themselves first, delaying possible diagnosis. Take care of the women you love.
Keep giving to Ovarian Cancer research causes. There
are tangible results from programs such as those at the Duke University and Dr. Andrew Berchuck and the work of real life "stars" like Mary Claire King, and Washington University fellow, Elizabeth Swisher. The
potential for breakthroughs exists every day.
Ovarian Cancer is not a woman’s issue. The common ancestry of our shared bloodline makes
it is part of our family ties.
Reading through posts and comments on Ovations for the Cure leads me to the topic of Hereditary Ovarian Cancer. Ten percent of ovarian cancer cases are considered the result of inherited genes or a hereditary cancer. For families with the gene alteration, the lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer increases to 60%. These odds should send every women who has a family member with ovarian cancer to arm herself with the facts. This is mission of FORCE - supporting awareness and advocacy specific to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Along with breast and ovarian cancer links, there is HNPCC or Lynch syndrome which effects both men and women as an inherited risk of colon, endometrium and ovarian cancers. I have heard women at seminars on ovarian cancer ask the questions - afraid to connect the dots - "what about my grandmother's stomach problems no one wanted to talk about?" - "I don't want to frighten my granddaughters." Go to your primary care physician and gynecologist armed with the facts and refused to be dismissed by the odds. Don't play the percentage game. Empower yourself - we need survivors.
