This article was written and paid for by Pharmacy Advantage.
Did you know that ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer in the U.S. because it's not usually detected or diagnosed until it has reached advanced stages?
That information comes from Cure Today, a website that provides cancer updates, research news and education.
September, it should be noted, is also Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
A Pap test, by the way, does not detect ovarian cancer, according to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, so it's important to keep on top of the latest news and developments in this space.
Here are five items to keep in mind:
1.) Some potential signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer include pelvic bloating or abdominal pain, feeling full quickly while eating and feeling the need to urinate urgently or often.
2.) One in 78 women will develop ovarian cancer in her lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.
3.) The five-year survival rate for early-stage ovarian cancer is more than 90%, the Cancer Coalition said.
4.) With more women living longer with ovarian cancer, it is increasingly being seen as a chronic disease.
5.) If you're worried about ovarian cancer, consider that heavily pretreated patients may have a new option to extend their lives. This recent study looks into how Zejula (or niraparib) prolongs life for patients with ovarian cancer who have already undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy. It sounds promising.
There's also a new "smart knife" option available in surgery that helps doctors distinguish healthy tissue from tumor in real-time -- and it could change the landscape of surgical ovarian cancer treatment for the better, the article cited above said.
Pharmacy Advantage is a Michigan-based organization that provides compassionate care and comprehensive medication therapy management programs to patients with acute and chronic conditions.