I want to tell you about
Primary Peritoneal Cancer. This cancer has only recently been
identified as its OWN type of cancer; but it is, essentially, Ovarian
Cancer. Both types of cancer are diagnosed in the same way (with
the "tumor marker" CA-125 blood test), and they are treated in the same
way (surgery to remove the primary tumor and then chemotherapy with Taxol
and Carboplatin).
Having gone through this ordeal, I want to save others
from the same fate. That is why I am sending this message to you and hope you
will print it and give it or send it via e-mail to everybody you
know.
One thing I have learned is that each of us must take
TOTAL responsibility for our own health care. I thought I had done
that because I always had an annual physical, had my annual mammogram and
PAP smear, did monthly Self Breast Exam, went to the dentist at least
twice/year, etc. > I even insisted on a sigmoidoscopy and a bone
density test last year. When I had a total hysterectomy in 1993, I thought
that I did not have to worry about getting any of the female reproductive
organ cancers. LITTLE DID I KNOW! I don't have ovaries (and they were
HEALTHY when they were removed!), but I have what is essentially ovarian
cancer. Strange, isn't it? > These are just SOME of the things
our Doctors never tell us. ONE OUT OF EVERY 55 WOMEN WILL GET OVARIAN OR
PRIMARY PERITONEAL CANCER! THE "CLASSIC" SYMPTOMS ARE AN ABDOMEN THAT
RATHER SUDDENLY ENLARGES AND CONSTIPATION AND/OR DIARRHEA. > I
had these classic symptoms and went to the Doctor. Because
these symptoms seemed to be "abdominal," I went to a
gastroenterologist. He ran tests that were designed to determine
whether there was a bacterial infection; these tests were negative, and I was
diagnosed with "Irritable Bowel Syndrome." > I guess I would have
accepted this diagnosis had it not been for my enlarged abdomen. I
swear to you, it looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant! I, therefore,
insisted on more tests. They took an X-Ray of my abdomen; it was
negative. I was, again, assured that I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome and
was encouraged to go on my scheduled month-long trip to Europe. I
couldn't wear any of my slacks or shorts because I couldn't get them
buttoned, and I KNEW something was radically wrong. I INSISTED on more
tests, and they (reluctantly) scheduled me for a CT-Scan (just to shut me up,
I think). This is what I mean by taking charge of our
own health care. > The CT-Scan showed a lot of fluid in my
abdomen (NOT normal!). Needless
to say, I had to cancel my trip and
have FIVE POUNDS of fluid drawn off at the hospital (not a pleasant
procedure, I assure you, but NOTHING compared to what was ahead of
me). Tests revealed cancer cells in the fluid. > Finally,
Finally, finally,the Doctor ran a CA-125 blood test and I was properly
diagnosed. I HAD THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS FOR OVARIAN CANCER AND, YET, THIS
SIMPLE CA-125 BLOOD TEST HAD NEVER BEEN RUN ON ME NOT AS PART OF MY
ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAM AND NOT WHEN I WAS SYMPTOMATIC. THIS IS
AN INEXPENSIVE AND SIMPLE BLOOD TEST!!! > PLEASE, PLEASE,
P-L-E-A-S-E TELL ALL YOUR FEMALE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO INSIST ON A CA-125
BLOOD TEST EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAMS. BE
FOREWARNED THAT THEIR DOCTORS MIGHT TRY TO TALK THEM OUT OF IT, SAYING "IT
ISN'T NECESSARY." BELIEVE ME, HAD I KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW,
WE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY CANCER MUCH EARLIER (BEFORE IT WAS A STAGE 3
CANCER)!!! INSIST ON THE CA-125 BLOOD TEST; DON'T TAKE "NO" FOR AN
ANSWER. > THE NORMAL RANGE FOR A CA-125 BLOOD TEST IS BETWEEN ZERO AND
35. (MINE WAS 754 ... THAT'S RIGHT, 754!) IF THE NUMBER IS
SLIGHTLY ELEVATED, YOU CAN HAVE ANOTHER ONE DONE IN THREE OR SIX MONTHS
AND KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON IT JUST LIKE WOMEN DO WHEN THEY HAVE FIBROID
TUMORS OR WHEN MEN HAVE A SLIGHTLY ELEVATED PSA TEST (PROSTATE SPECIFIC
ANTIGENS) THAT HELPS DIAGNOSE PROSTATE CANCER. HAVING THE CA-125 TEST
DONE ANNUALLY CAN ALERT YOU EARLY, AND THAT'S THE GOAL IN DIAGNOSING
ANY TYPE OF CANCER -- CATCH IT EARLY. > I hope I haven't
bored you with all of this. But I hope I HAVE scared you enough to
motivate you to action. Do YOU know 55 women? If so, at least one
of them will have this VERY AGGRESSIVE cancer -- and maybe, just maybe, it
will be YOU. I hope not.
Please, go to your Doctor THIS WEEK and
insist on a CA-125 test and have
one EVERY YEAR for the rest of your
life. And forward this message to every woman you know and tell all of
your female family members
and friends.
As the Nike ads say, "JUST DO IT!"
Please don't think youth will
protect you, either. Though the median age for this cancer is 56 (and,
guess what, I'm exactly 56), women as young as 22 have it. Age is
not a factor.
