From Near and Far – Teal News

There is plenty of Teal News to share from both near and far.

Close to home and just in time for Women’s History Month, Chasen A Cure will be presenting information on ovarian cancer symptom awareness as part of The Healthy Woman Through the Ages at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library on Thursday, March 21^st at 7:30 pm. Bodily self awareness, symptom tracking and the crucial role they play in early diagnosis and survival will be the focus.  Join us for this educational event.

The donations are coming in for the NOCC Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer on Saturday, May 4^th. This year’s event has expanded from a 3 mile walk to include a 5k run. NOCC Illinois has done a fabulous job securing new sponsors including the MSB Hope Foundation which honors of fellow Res Alumnae Mary Guerrirri Bertolini.

Support Team Chasen A Cure at this year's NOCC Walk!

A bit further from home, in a place known as “down under”, it was Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day and of significant progress towards a blood test for the early detection of ovarian cancer was in the news. The team at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, led by Dr Goli Samimi, has identified specific biological changes that occur in the DNA. Targeted towards high-risk women, this test could be a significant breakthrough towards early diagnosis, which could lead to better survival rates. I was “tickled teal” to see that Dee of Woman of Teal was able to conduct an interview with Dr Samimi. Impressive that Dr. Samimi took the time to respond and personally share her insights.

Exploring down under, I uncovered research by Ovarian Cancer Australia reported that three out of five women incorrectly believe that ovarian cancer is detected by a pap smear and over half believe that the HPV vaccine protects against ovarian cancer. The battle for education is worldwide. The OCA site has a link to a spiffy iPhone app called KISS (Know the Important Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer) and MAKEUP – a symptom diary and makeup tips all in one.

Closer to home, the importance of seeking effective, experienced care as imperative to survival was highlighted in Dr. Robert Bristow’s presentation of his abstract NCCN treatment guidelines for ovarian cancer: A population-based validation study of structural and process quality measures stressing the importance of seeking out physicians and facilities with specific experience in ovarian cancer at the 2013 SGO conference in Los Angeles. This reinforces the importance of the patient and their family as the best advocate for quality care. It all begins with education; so that you can speak confidently to your physicians about your concerns. Never hesitate to ask for fear of offending the doctor. Seek out a quality medical team which is experienced in multidisciplinary cancer treatment methods. Where do you go?? The Foundation for Women’s Cancer’s new website is a great place to start for news, events and a search function for gynecological oncologists.

A review of the abstracts presented at the SGO Conference is fascinating reading and casts hope for the future. Chasen A Cure favorite Cancer Warrior, Dr. David G. Mutch collaborated with Dr. Matthew Powell and the team from Wash U. on several abstracts. There is hope for developments in patient care, diagnosis, and prevention from near and far.

New Year, New Hope

The New Year means a fresh start and new plans for Ovarian Cancer awareness events.

Some of the best news comes from Johns Hopkins University and the publication of test results of a newly developed PapGene test which could detect three gynecological cancers - cervical ovarian and endometrial cancers. By classifying gene mutations, samples were able to identify a fraction 9 of the 22 patients with Ovarian Cancer– a 41% accuracy rating of the ovarian cancer mutations. The PapGene test is the first step, as research will continue to work to making the test more sensitive to Ovarian Cancer gene mutations. Although improvements need to be made before applying this test in a routine clinical manner, it represents a promising step toward a broadly applicable screening methodology for the early detection of gynecologic malignancies.

A definite screening test for ovarian cancer could make a huge difference in early stage detection, earlier, gene-specific treatment protocol and ultimately more survivors. Wonderful news of hope for all in the Teal Tribe.

The calendar is filling with new events for promoting Ovarian Cancer awareness in 2013. March 21st, Chasen A Cure for Ovarian Cancer will be a presenter at a women’s heath event at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. We are pleased to continue to have the opportunity to spread awareness in the local community, dispel myths and share Ovarian Cancer resources. Details to follow.

Already looking forward to this years NOCC walk in early May, Team Chasen A Cure will be decked out in team sweatshirts. Watch the NOCC Illinois Facebook page for breaking details.

Team Chasen A Cure Patriarch ready for the NOCC Walk to Break the Silence.

There will be more events throughout the year - from the Health Fair to the Families ROC Walk. Every day in the year is a chance to reach out to spread the word and look for new opportunities. We are on a road we did not choose. But we are on it for a reason, and the strength will be given to keep moving forward.

Make the Choice to Do Something

The news-feed featured a young, beautiful woman in a strapless gown. Miss America contestant Allyn Rose had announced that she will undergo a double mastectomy after the 2013 pageant.  The pageant queen’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 27 and claimed her life after a re-occurrence of the disease at 50 years of age. Rose is currently disease-free and is undergoing this procedure for prophylactic reasons. 

More disturbing than the headlines labeling this story as a “beauty undergoing a dramatic physical transformation” are the loose cannons in comments - that Rose is uninformed and mislead by her doctors; that breast cancer – a disease that has been documented as far back as 1600 BC - can be prevented simply by large doses of iodine or daily servings of broccoli juice – that if Rose is concerned about the genetic course of breast cancer in her family, she should consider sterilization.  The personal voice to Rose’s platform of preventative health is being lost in the din of ignorance. A time when there could be understanding about genetics and the possible final days of pro-active health decisions doctor and patient are being lost.

Dr Mangus Westgren, Director of OB-Gyn at the Karolsinka Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, is offering a solution to save lives and gain data that could lead to more informed choices.

Tumors which originate in the cells of the fallopian tubes account for 75% of all ovarian cancer and 90% of ovarian cancer deaths. Dr Westgren proposes bilateral salpingectomy, removal of the fallopian tubes, as a method of reducing the incidence of ovarian cancer. Women would be informed of the availability of BSE to be completed during cesarean sections as a preventative to ovarian cancer while seeking a permanent method of birth control. Data for reductions in diagnosis over a 15 year period versus occurrence in the general population would be gathered to determine if the significant reduction of risk would lead doctors to counsel their patients on the option of BSE as an ovarian cancer preventative for all women.

While some bodies discourage screening for the general population, and unreliable screening methods exist for those the high-risk pool, we are thankful for cancer warriors like Dr Westgren who see the need to take action for prevention.  Methods and measures that might look drastic to some are informed, educated, life-saving choices to others.