According to the American Cancer Society, one of the leading causes for cancer deaths among women is ovarian cancer. While effective treatments exist, late detection increases a woman’s risk of dying from this disease. Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is very important to me because my family has been personally affected by this disease. Two years ago, my aunt was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Recently, she lost her battle to ovarian cancer at the age of 65. So, this September, I would like to take time to highlight Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and discuss the importance of screening for early detection—for more than just ovarian cancer—in order to create a healthier Commonwealth for us all.
When detected early, ovarian cancer can be treated and cured through the removal of the ovaries. However, in most cases, symptoms don’t appear until the cancer has spread out of the ovaries and into other parts of the body, making treatment much more complex. The delay between the development of the disease and of symptoms appearing is the cause for late diagnosis. Because screening for ovarian cancer is not part of routine screening for most women, it is often found and diagnosed “too late.” For women that are high risk, either because of a family history of ovarian cancer or specific gene mutations, annual screenings are recommended.
In Kentucky, according to the American Cancer Society, the ovarian cancer mortality rate is 5.2, compared to the national mortality rate of 6.2. While Kentucky is lower than the national rate, improvements in screening and early detection can help to continue lowering our state’s mortality rate.
In an effort to combat ovarian cancer in Kentucky, the UK Markey Cancer Center Ovarian Cancer Screening Program was created in 1987 and continues to provide free annual screenings for women across the state today. All women over the age of 50 are eligible for a free screening through the program, and women over the age of 25 with a family history of ovarian cancer and genetic risk factors are eligible for free screenings. More than 367,000 free screenings have been provided since the program’s inception—screenings are done through transvaginal ultrasonography to detect small ovarian cancers at their earliest stages to increase chances of curing the cancer. This program has proven to be successful in reducing the amount of ovarian cancer related deaths.
Across cancer types, Kentucky has the highest mortality rate of any state in the country, according to the American Cancer Society. Compared to the national mortality rate of 147.5, Kentucky’s is 180.1. When it comes to cancer care in the Commonwealth, we have great lengths to go to improve our state’s heath. The free annual screenings provided through the UK Markey Cancer Center Ovarian Cancer Screening Program along with other free cancer screenings offered in our state are essential steps forward in improving Kentucky’s health. This Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, let us be reminded of the necessity of early detection through screening and take time to schedule your next screening today. For more information regarding free ovarian cancer screenings, click here.
As always, I can be reached anytime through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via e-mail at amy.neighbors@lrc.ky.gov and keep track through the Kentucky legislature’s website at legislature.ky.gov.
(Laura Leigh Goins, Deputy Chief of Staff for Media Relations – House Majority Leadership)