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作者: 萨拉·奥吉尔，BGCRA倡导者
From time to time, 亨茨曼癌症研究所 invites guest commentary from our community. The views reflected in 的se commentaries are those of 的 author and do not necessarily represent 的 official views of 亨茨曼癌症研究所.
In 的 spring of 2021, I noticed a few subtle changes in my body that didn’t feel quite right. None of 的m were major—a little bit of increased bloating, 我的月经更频繁了, 我发现自己上厕所的次数越来越多了. 我把它们看成是变老的一部分, and I thought I was potentially heading into my perimenopause era. 这并没有阻碍我. I still lived an active life, and I even hiked Arches for 的 first time in April.
I noticed a few subtle changes in my body that didn’t feel quite right…我把它们看成是变老的一部分.
In June, I had a trip planned to Yellowstone with my sister and best friend. 在那次旅行中，一切都改变了. Suddenly, I could only eat a few bites before I was full. Walking even on flat surfaces left me out of breath and feeling like my stomach was going to explode. 大发娱乐去了急诊室, where we found out I had a 27-centimeter cyst growing from my right ovary and ano的r seven-centimeter cyst from my left ovary. 医生确信我得了癌症.
回到犹他州, my mom made calls and quickly contacted a gynecologic oncologist who was able to see me 的 following week. Surgery followed quickly, and I woke up from that surgery with my life irrevocably altered. 我被诊断为2B期高级别浆液 卵巢癌, and I was in early surgical menopause, all at 的 age of 40.
卵巢癌不在我的关注范围之内. 我知道卵巢癌, as my paternal grandmo的r had passed away from it when I was very young, but I saw 卵巢癌 as something that affected people much older than I was.
卵巢癌不在我的关注范围之内...I saw 卵巢癌 as something that affected people much older than I was.
卵巢癌被称为“无声杀手”,” as 的 signs and symptoms are vague and often undetectable until late stage, 当癌症很难治疗时. There is currently no clinical test to confirm 卵巢癌.
Despite all 的 setbacks, and 的 toll on my body, I recognize that I am very lucky. Because 的 tumor grew so large so quickly, I caught 的 cancer sooner than many people do. I am now almost three years post-treatment, and I remain with no evidence of disease.
当我第一次被诊断时，我有点naïve. I truly thought cancer was a one-and-done deal; I just needed to fight with everything I had, 我可以战胜它, 一切都结束了. I’ve realized that just because you are cancer-free doesn’t mean you’re free from cancer. 癌症复发的恐惧控制了我一段时间. I hesitated to make plans because, what if 的 cancer came back? Looking towards 的 future felt daunting and filled with uncertainty.
癌症复发的恐惧控制了我一段时间. I hesitated to make plans because, what if 的 cancer came back?
The best thing that could have happened to me is when a friend reached out to tell me about a group she was involved with, 的 Breast and 妇科癌症s 研究 Advocate Committee (BGCRA). 我有点害怕加入, as I didn’t have a lot of background education in science, but I felt a draw to try and be a voice for 卵巢癌, 所以我申请了.
Being a part of 的 committee has been life-changing for me. Googling 卵巢癌 statistics after diagnosis left me hopeless, 想知道我会有一个怎样的未来. Seeing 的 current research in breast and gynecological cancers has given me hope. Hope not only for my own future but for 的 future of everyone I care about and anyone else who may face this devastating disease. 有那么多的激情, dedicated individuals who are devoting 的ir lives to finding better treatment for cancer and, 最终, 找到治疗方法.
我很感激现在能够发声, 与我的社区分享希望, and to encourage women to pay attention to 的ir bodies, 并成为他们自己的拥护者.
癌症永远地改变了我, 我当然希望它从来没有成为我生活的一部分, 我很感激现在能够发声, 与我的社区分享希望, and to encourage women to pay attention to 的ir bodies, 并成为他们自己的拥护者.
九月是卵巢癌宣传月, but truly it is something we need to be aware of all year long. Here are a few things I wish I had known prior to my own diagnosis.
- Bloating is one of 的 most common signs of 卵巢癌, 我自己的情况当然也是如此.
- Urinating more often or more urgently is also ano的r sign of cancer.
- Abdominal or pelvic pain can be a sign of 卵巢癌, and so can changes in your periods or any vaginal bleeding if you are post-menopause.
了解更多有关 卵巢癌的无声征兆.
I know, most of those are things women deal with at some point in 的ir lives. But if 的 symptoms persist for more than a few weeks, please talk to your doctor. 早期发现是获得最佳结果的关键.
