September Is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Considered the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers, ovarian cancer strikes women of all ages. From subtle symptoms to late detection, the disease is difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat. The Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation (SROCF), now celebrating its 15th year of operation, is making huge strides in raising awareness about ovarian cancer through its "Get Real With Teal" campaign.

September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and cities across the nation will turn teal, the official color of ovarian cancer. This year, 22,000 women of all ages will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Due to the subtleness of ovarian cancer symptoms, and because there is no reliable test for early detection, ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose and easily confused with other ailments. When ovarian cancer is detected early, more than 90% of women will survive longer than five years. However, only 19% of women are diagnosed in the early stages. When diagnosed in advanced stages, the chance of five-year survival is only 44%.

Learn the signs of early detection and more about SROCF and their events at www.sandyovarian.org.