September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

This year, approximately 14,230 women will die in the United States from ovarian cancer. Ovarian Cancer is one of the most deadly of women's cancers because there is no early detection or screening test, and so, most women are not diagnosed until they have reached advanced stages of the disease.

Early diagnosis is difficult because the symptoms are subtle and often mimic other conditions (bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating and urinary urgency). However, recent research suggests that if you or someone you know has those symptoms together, and if they last more than 2-3 weeks and are otherwise unexplained, you should see your doctor. When detected at the earliest stages, the 5 year survival rate jumps to 93%.

For more information, please visit the NYS Department of Health website:

http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/cancer/ovarian/index.htm