Guard against 'silent killer'

Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008, started off as just another normal workday. Little did I know that 24 hours later, I would be starting the fight of my life. An injury in gym class took me to the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Emergency room and no one could have prepared me to hear the words, "You have ovarian cancer."

I'm telling this story, and will continue to tell it, because I am one of the "lucky ones." September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and this year's theme is "Know your body. Know the symptoms. Help spread the word." The only "cure" for ovarian cancer is early detection. Because of my trip to the ER, my cancer was caught early, in Stage 1.

Ovarian Cancer is called the "silent killer" because there are no diagnostic tests to detect the disease and, unfortunately, the symptoms are often missed or dismissed by women and their healthcare providers leading to the late diagnosis of the disease in Stage 3 or 4. Less than 20 percent of women are diagnosed in the early stages of ovarian cancer, when survival rates are highest.

Symptoms include:

• Bloating

• Pelvic or abdominal pain

• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly

• Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

Listen to your body! These symptoms can often be mistaken for menopause, irritable bowel syndrome, aging, or even having a bad period. See your doctor, preferably a gynecologist, if you have these symptoms almost daily for more than one or two weeks. Experts suggest a combination of pelvic/rectal exam, a CA-125 blood test, and a transvaginal ultrasound. The Pap smear, which women routinely get, detects cervical cancer, not ovarian cancer.

I am now one year out of chemo treatments. My hair is growing back and I am feeling healthy and strong. However, because this cancer is particularly sneaky, I will be monitored with the CA-125 blood test for the rest of my life to make sure if the cancer recurs, it will be caught early.

Today I can say, "I am a survivor" and, again, I am one of the "lucky ones." There are too many women diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer who have fought or are now fighting a more difficult battle than me. No one asks to be part of this "club." However, if my story reaches just one woman and makes her more pro-active about her health and her body, and it leads to early detection, than the battle is worthwhile.

Please join me, and hundreds across the United States, in wearing teal on Friday, Sept. 4, to support Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Teal is the ovarian cancer community's color and serves as a reminder that ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all cancers of the reproductive system and the leading cause of cancer death among women. Let's help spread the word!

• Carol Scott is the executive director of Wild Horse Children's Theater.