Take charge of cancer health

WOMEN are being urged to do a stock take on their health.
Local MP Donna Petrovich, who was recently promoted to Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Services, said there is no early detection test or screening for ovarian cancer.
“Yet, it is the sixth most common cause of cancer death in women,” Mrs Petrovich said. “One in 70 women will develop ovarian cancer during their lifetime.
“Each year around 1400 Australian women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and more than half those women will die from the disease within five years.”
However, Mrs Petrovich points out that if detected and treated at an early stage, there is a 90 per cent chance of survival beyond five years.
She said that women must be aware of changes to their own bodies.
Symptoms are often mistaken for other health problems such as irritable bowel syndrome or indigestion.
It is recommended that a woman experiencing abnormal gastrointestinal conditions for longer than a fortnight should see their doctor.
Those most at risk include women over 45 years old, who have never taken the contraceptive pill, have had few or no pregnancies and have a history of cancer in the family.