Statement on the Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Consensus from the Ovarian &

Gynecologic Cancer Coalition/Rhonda's Club and In My Sister's Care

    ARLINGTON, Va. and WASHINGTON, June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "This
 is a major step forward for ovarian cancer patients and very good news
 indeed," said Ann M. Mason, board member and immediate past chair of the
 Ovarian & Gynecologic Cancer Coalition/Rhonda's Club, in recognition of the
 issuance of a national Consensus Statement on the warning signs of ovarian
 cancer by three national cancer organizations this week. The national
 organizations include the American Cancer Society, Gynecologic Cancer
 Foundation and the Society for Gynecologic Oncologists.
     Ovarian cancer advocacy organizations around the country have sought to
 elevate the importance of symptom awareness for many years. A breakthrough
 came in the late 1990s when Dr. Barbara Goff, a gynecologic oncologist at
 the University of Washington, worked hand-in-hand with the late ovarian
 cancer survivor Cindy Melancon to develop and disseminate a nationwide
 symptoms survey.
     "The results of these studies dispel the myth that ovarian cancer has
 no symptoms. When I was diagnosed, most physicians were taught that there
 were no symptoms at early stage," said Mary Jackson Scroggins, co-founder
 of In My Sister's Care and a 10-year survivor. "Now, women will be aware of
 these four subtle symptoms -- bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain,
 difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary symptoms (urgency or
 frequency) -- and when they recur frequently or persist, women will know
 they should see a doctor, quickly."
     "Ovarian cancer is a sneaky disease," added Mason, a 10-year survivor,
 "and most women think persistent bloating and increasing abdominal girth
 are just part of life. But women know their bodies, and we know when there
 is something wrong. Now we are better able to recognize when we should take
 action and see a doctor."
     The Consensus Statement advises women who frequently have any one of
 four typical symptoms for several weeks to promptly see their doctor,
 preferably a gynecologist. "Early access to a gynecologist is important
 because when diagnosed early, the 5-year survival rate is over 90 percent,"
 said Scroggins. "Sadly, many women in the District, in fact, throughout the
 Washington metropolitan area, do not even have regular access to a primary
 care physician or the funds if uninsured to seek medical attention, so they
 have to delay doctor visits. This is a real problem even with the addition
 of this valuable new tool."
     "This Consensus Statement is basically a medical 'seal of approval'
 that there are symptoms of ovarian cancer -- something much of the medical
 community has denied for years -- and is a wake-up call to physicians
 everywhere to be particularly alert to the symptoms. Since there is no
 reliable screening test for ovarian cancer, knowledge of symptoms is even
 more critical," said Mason.
     "This knowledge is vitally important to changing the ovarian cancer
 picture in our area," said Scroggins. "An estimated 575 women annually die
 from ovarian cancer within the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia
 combined. With public and physician awareness of these symptoms, we may be
 able to change these numbers -- prolong and save lives."
     Not only do our two organizations work to bring awareness to women in
 this area, they are also working together to bring the stories of ovarian
 cancer survivorship to area medical schools. "This Consensus Statement
 reinforces the messages that our volunteers tell in their stories to
 medical students," said Charlotte Naschinski, an 11-year survivor and
 co-chair of the OGCC/Rhonda's Club medical education program. "This
 Consensus Statement provides documented evidence, based on several studies,
 that provides a tool for doctors to improve earlier diagnosis."
     In My Sister's Care, founded in 2004, is a national health care
 organization dedicated to eliminating health disparities and to improving
 gynecologic cancer awareness and early detection, access to care, quality
 of care and quality of life for medically underserved women.
     Ovarian & Gynecologic Cancer Coalition (OGCC/Rhonda's Club), a not-for-
 profit organization, was founded in 1997 by ovarian and gynecologic cancer
 survivors to offer supportive educational programs for ovarian and
 gynecologic cancer survivors and their families; to raise awareness about
 the symptoms and risk factors of gynecologic cancers with area women; and
 to improve detection, treatment, and quality of life for survivors.
 OGCC/Rhonda's Club is a founding organization and partner member of the
 Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, the national umbrella organization
 representing 50 local, state and national ovarian cancer survivor and
 advocacy groups.
     Together, OGCC/Rhonda's Club and In My Sister's Care are the voices of
 ovarian and other gynecologic cancer survivors in the Greater Washington DC
 area.
     Mary Jackson Scroggins, a writer and 10-year survivor of ovarian cancer
 lives in the District of Columbia. Ann M. Mason, a policy director at a
 national trade organization and 10-year survivor of ovarian cancer lives in
 Virginia. Charlotte Naschinski, a nurse educator and 11-year survivor of
 ovarian cancer lives in Maryland.
     OVARIAN CANCER SYMPTOMS CONSENSUS STATEMENT
     The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, the Society of Gynecologic
 Oncologists and the American Cancer Society led the effort to form a
 consensus statement on ovarian cancer. Their statement follows.
     Historically ovarian cancer was called the "silent killer" because
 symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of cure was poor.
 However, recent studies have shown this term is untrue and that the
 following symptoms are much more likely to occur in women with ovarian
 cancer than women in the general population.(1,2) These symptoms include:
     -- Bloating
     -- Pelvic or abdominal pain
     -- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
     -- Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)
     Women with ovarian cancer report that symptoms are persistent and
 represent a change from normal for their bodies. The frequency and/or
 number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of ovarian
 cancer.(3) Several studies show that even early stage ovarian cancer can
 produce these symptoms.(2-6)
     Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks
 should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical
 evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the
 disease. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.
     Several other symptoms have been commonly reported by women with
 ovarian cancer.(2-5) These symptoms include fatigue, indigestion, back
 pain, pain with intercourse, constipation and menstrual irregularities.
 However, these other symptoms are not as useful in identifying ovarian
 cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the
 general population who do not have ovarian cancer.(1)
     References
     1. Goff BA, Mandel LS, Melancon CH, Muntz HG. Frequency of symptoms of
        ovarian cancer in women presenting to primary care. JAMA 2004;291:2705-
        12. Level II-2
     2. Olson SH, Mignone L, Nakaraseive C, Caputo TA, Barakat RR, Harlap S.
        Symptoms of ovarian cancer. Obstet Gynecol 2001;98:212-7. Level II-2
     3. Goff BA, Mandel L, Muntz HG, Melancon CH. Ovarian carcinoma diagnosis:
        results of a national ovarian cancer survey. Cancer 2000;89:2068-75.
        Level III
     4. Vine MF, Ness RB, Calingaert B, Schildkraut JM, Berchuck A. Types and
        duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis of invasive or borderline
        ovarian tumor. Gynecol Oncol 2001;83:466-71. Level III
     5. Yawn BP, Barrette, BA, Wollan, PC. Ovarian cancer: the neglected
        diagnosis. Mayo Clin Proc 2004;79:1277-1282. Level III
     6. Goff BA, Mandel L, Drescher CW, Urban N, Gough S, Schurman K, Patras J.
        Mahony BS, Anderson M. Development of an ovarian cancer symptom index.
        Cancer 2007;109:221-7. Level II-2
 
     Originating Organizations: Date
     Gynecologic Cancer Foundation January 23, 2007
     Society of Gynecologic Oncologists February 15, 2007
     American Cancer Society April 30, 2007
 
     Endorsing Organizations: Date
     CancerCare May 29, 2007
     Conversations! The International Newsletter For Those Fighting Ovarian
      Cancer May 29, 2007
     EyesOnThePrize.org June 1, 2007
     FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered May 29, 2007
     Gilda's Club Worldwide May 29, 2007
     Gynecologic Oncology Group May 29, 2007
     In My Sister's Care June 5, 2007
     International Gynecologic Cancer Society May 30, 2007
     Lynn Cohen Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research June 4, 2007
     National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship June 5, 2007
     National Cervical Cancer Coalition May 30, 2007
     National Ovarian Cancer Coalition May 31, 2007
     Ovarian Cancer Canada June 4, 3007
     Ovarian Cancer National Alliance May 29, 2007
     Ovarian Cancer Research Fund May 29, 2007
     SHARE: Self-help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer June 5, 2007
     Society of Gynecologic Nurse Oncologists May 29, 2007
 
 

SOURCE Ovarian & Gynecologic Cancer Coalition/Rhonda's Club