Jeannie Sue - Beth
This web page is dedicated to my dear friend Jeannie Sue who was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer December 2004. She is currectly undergoing treatment.

The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 22,220 new cases of ovarian cancer in this country in 2005. About 16,210 women will die of the disease. Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer (other than skin cancer) in women. It ranks fourth as the cause of cancer death in women.

Although most cases of ovarian cancer occur in women aged 50 years or older, the disease can occur in younger women. The most common form—epithelial—is usually diagnosed in women aged 40 years or older; risk for all forms of the disease begins to increase at age 40.

A woman’s chance of having ovarian cancer increases if one or more of her close relatives (mother, daughter, or sister) has had the disease. Women may inherit genes that substantially increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Women with a history of breast, endometrial, or colon cancer also have a greater chance of developing ovarian cancer than women who have not had these cancers. Several factors have also been identified that decrease a woman’s ovarian cancer risk, which include childbearing and the use of oral contraceptives.

Women who appear to be at high risk for ovarian or breast cancer should undergo genetic counseling and, if the risk appears to be substantial, may be offered genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2.

PLEASE, PLEASE Tell All of your female friends and relatives to Insist on a CA-125 BLOOD TEST EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAMS.