Ovarian Cancer Awareness: Learn the Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

How quickly can you answer the following questions: What is the slogan for ovarian cancer awareness? What is the color of the ovarian cancer awareness ribbon? What month is ovarian cancer awareness month? And what are the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer?

If you're stumped by these questions, don't be discouraged, as you're certainly not alone. Ovarian cancer is one of the most deadly cancers, yet many people lack awareness about the disease. September is ovarian cancer awareness month, but anytime is the perfect time to educate yourself about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer and discover how you can get involved in the fight for a cure.

My Story

I have to confess, ovarian cancer awareness was not even on my radar until a few years ago. I became aware of the cause due to a personal experience with the disease, in the form of a "cancer scare." In the summer of 2004, I was diagnosed with a cyst in my right ovary. The ovarian cyst was discovered when I had an ultrasound for another minor problem; I did not have, nor have I ever had, any pain or other symptoms from the cyst.

The appearance of the cyst (and the fact that it was inside my ovary) led my gynecologist to order tests for further evaluation, to rule out the possibility of ovarian cancer. That began my personal odyssey of "watch and wait," a nerve wracking process that occurs when doctors can't quite determine exactly what is going on with the cyst, so they monitor or track it over time to look for changes that might signal ovarian cancer.

I entered a medical gray area of "do I or don't I?" as I wondered if I might be in the very early stages of ovarian cancer. This "watch and wait" period meant countless transvaginal ultrasounds, pelvic exams to check for signs of a mass, periodic CA 125 tests, and in my case, an MRI of my pelvic region, to keep an eye on what might eventually turn out to be a cancerous (or precancerous) tumor in my ovary.