a Fallbrook woman whose Christian faith has played out in print is now using that medium to detail her battle against a life-threatening disease.

For years, Marcy Burge shared her Christian faith in newspaper and church newsletter columns. as her clipping file grew, she also won friends with her character and cookies as she helped build a bridge between a pair of Fallbrook churches.

Fast forward to today, and Burge is back at the keyboard as she marks the one-year milestone in her battle against ovarian cancer. But she has an edge over other Christian writers who scatter their words like seeds across Southern California. she is likely the sole scribe to claim she was visited by a trio of angels during a particularly painful moment.

The visit came after a 15-hour hospital ordeal that ended with Burge coughing up blood as she arrived home and was anxious to bring a close to a distressing day. Burge said the translucent “images” briefly appeared in the tiny house that she rents from Fallbrook Presbyterian Church, the place she has worked at as a secretary for nearly 16 years.

The experience has prompted members of Fallbrook Presbyterian, as well as a nearby Catholic church, to ponder angels. it has not, however, overshadowed Burge?s medical challenges and the cadre of supporters that has showered her with prayer, food and other help.

“It?s my opinion that God sends you what you need at the moment,” said Rev. Greg Coppock, assistant pastor at Fallbrook Presbyterian. “It (angelic visitors) is an interesting issue, as you know. I think too often we put God in a box. God can do anything.”

Coppock and others say Burge, 54, has frequently been cited as an inspiration for others as her public fight against cancer unfolds.

For more than a decade, Burge served as a popular and prayerful secretary at Fallbrook Presbyterian and a member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, which is a short distance away. For many of those years, Burge edited the Fallbrook Christian Network?s interdenominational newsletter. The publication was distributed at many area churches while the Fallbrook Christian Council was active in the region.

In early 2007, Burge helped launch the Faith Matters section of the Village News, a weekly newspaper that circulates in the Fallbrook, Rainbow and Bonsall areas. she wrote steadily for the newspaper for about two years, at which time local church pastors and ministers began to cycle in as contributing writers.

In those newspaper columns, Burge sometimes touched on her personal difficulties that included the death of her husband about 17 years ago, financial problems, the loss of her home, depression, shattered dreams and thoughts. she also told how prayer, faith and fellowship enabled her to emerge from darkness.

Burge?s columns struck a chord among some newspaper readers and alienated others.

“One of your features that I find most uplifting these days is the Faith Matters column by Marcy Burge,” Pete Swenson, a 15-year resident of the Fallbrook area, wrote in a September 2008 letter to the editor. “While my church attendance is rather spotty, my faith is solid and I always feel a boost when I finish with her message.”

Conversely, a reader who identified himself as “Brian T” responded sharply to a may 2008 column by Burge. The critic, who described himself on an Internet posting as “wholly satisfied with my choice to be an atheist,” described the column as “one of many articles you?ve written with a smug, elitist prejudice that I find quite disappointing.”

Burge transitioned from the newspaper columns to similar pieces for The Chimes, a monthly newsletter printed by Fallbrook Presbyterian. she also wrote a book titled “Finding Lavender” and is working on two other books about spirituality.

A daunting diagnosis

About a year ago, Burge was diagnosed with bronchitis after she complained of wheezing and other breathing difficulties. three rounds of antibiotic treatments failed to ease the symptoms, and Burge began to suffer severe abdominal pains. Coppock recommended that Burge seek treatment at a San Diego hospital, and within hours she was diagnosed as having stage three ovarian cancer.

That diagnosis shocked Burge, in part because her father had undergone “an enormous struggle” with pancreatic cancer before he died in her presence. Burge said the emotional jolt of her cancer diagnosis felt like being “drop-kicked across a football field.”

Nearly 22,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with ovarian cancer a year, according to the American Cancer Society. About 14,000 American women die annually from the disease.

At stage three, tumor cells have been detected in one or both ovaries as well as outside the pelvis.

The survival rate of the disease can be high if it is detected early. Unfortunately, early detection is rare and no effective screening strategies have been developed.

More than 90 percent of women survive five years or more if their cancers are found before they spread beyond the ovaries. But fewer than 20 percent of the cancers are diagnosed in the early stages before it has spread outside the ovaries.

Burge has received chemotherapy and other treatments, and the procedures have weakened her at times and compromised her immune system. she has difficulty sleeping in a prone position. she was forced to limit contact with people and adhere to a special diet. she is on disability leave at Fallbrook Presbyterian.

Her diagnosis and subsequent difficulties have sparked an outpouring of support. Cards and meals have flowed in, a nutrition expert gave her diet recommendations and members of Advertisement[ Christ the King Lutheran Church ] the Fallbrook Presbyterian and Catholic churches pooled donations to her buy a reclining chair that makes it easier to sleep.

Friends and church members have prayed alongside the chain-link fence that separates her rental home from the Fallbrook Presbyterian parking lot. they have also decorated the fence with hundreds of pink bows and ribbons.

“She has touched many, many people and I think it?s time to return some of the love to her,” said Jean Tiffany, a Fallbrook Presbyterian elder who has attended the church for more than 40 years. she describes Burge as like “a daughter” to her.

The Rev. Pat Crowley, a Catholic priest based in Hemet, and some friends of Burge held a healing prayer session with her after a cancer treatment. Crowley is active with the Virginia-based Association of Christian Therapists.

“Marcy is very much in touch with the reality of her own situation,” Crowley said in a recent email interview. “She is a person of deep faith and trust in God. Marcy is a ?heart? person. Her life is not about herself. it is greater than she is. she not only creates life, she gives life even in her suffering. what a tremendous example of comfort and strength. she ministers in her own woundedness.”

Burge credits the outpouring of care and concern for much of her resiliency.

“The support and prayers received from my faith communities has been overwhelming and have lifted my mind and soul in such a way that is phenomenal on so many levels,” Burge said in an email interview. “People have prayed long and hard for my recovery, and those prayers have been heard.”

Burge said the angels visited her after a particularly grueling day that she endured in preparation for chemotherapy treatments. Burge was driven to the hospital by Chris, her 24-year-old son. Coppock greeted them when they returned home. she described the angelic visit as follows:

“I hungered for rest and to put an end to this most disturbing day. it was then that I saw them. in the darkened living room three figures sitting across from me as if in chairs. The one on the right and left with head bowed in prayer, the one in the middle looking straight at me.

“I yelled out to Chris, who was just walking in the door from carrying in some of my stuff. he caught a glimpse of the one on my left and in a second these images disappeared. they appeared to me to be angels sent from God to comfort and pray for me. to let me know he saw our distress, that we were not alone in any of it. that the Lord himself sent his messengers to fill us with awe and hope.”

News of the angelic visit began to circulate at Fallbrook Presbyterian, and Pastor Jerome Marroquin mentioned it in a subsequent sermon.

Although angels are mentioned periodically in the Bible and the Koran, their appearance is not an everyday occurrence in the Christian or Muslim faiths.

Even internationally-known evangelist Billy Graham has admitted that he has never seen an angel. in a book on the subject printed in 1986, Graham wrote that he has “heard or read literally thousands” of accounts of angels or angelic interventions. Yet he goes onto caution readers that “?for both the Bible and human experience tell us visible appearances are very rare ?”

The ephemeral beings are mentioned directly or indirectly nearly 300 times in the Old and New Testaments, Graham wrote in his book “Angels, God?s Secret Agents.” many newer books also probe the existence of angels. The book “In The Arms of Angels – true Stories of Heavenly Guardians” details 35 angelic encounters involving one or more people. Most of the accounts in the book, which was published in 2004 by Loyola Press, tell of visits amid or after tragedies, disease or disaster. many of the accounts involve human visitors who mysteriously help people and then seemingly disappear or fade into the background.

There seems to be little doubt among many members of Fallbrook Presbyterian that angels indeed appeared at the little house on church property. Pastor Marroquin said he is not surprised that Burge would be the recipient of such a visit.

“Honestly, if it was going to happen to anyone it would be her,” he said. “She has a deep, contemplative prayer life.”

Tiffany, the church elder, said she doesn?t have a shred of doubt.

“I believe whole-heartedly in it,” she said. “It?s a tremendous sign.”

Tiffany and other members have been thrilled to see Burge resume writing for the church newsletter. she returned to The Chimes in the December edition, and has been a regular contributor since then. Her March column is titled Walkin? the Walk, not just Talkin? the Talk.

Burge attended the March 11 traditional service at Fallbrook Presbyterian and was drawn into a couple of quick hugs before she and Tiffany drove to a restaurant for breakfast.

“It was like the Lord just pulled me here,” Burge told one well-wisher after the church service.

Burge also attended the March 18 service at Fallbrook Presbyterian, and Marroquin gave the congregation an upbeat report on her current condition. Burge seemed to flow from one hug to another as she slowly exited the sanctuary after the service.

Burge?s return to writing and her profound faith and recent service attendance have prompted some Fallbrook Presbyterian members to predict she?ll be back at her desk in the church office before long.

“I have in my heart that Marcy is going to be fine,” Tiffany said.

By Katherine Hobson

The government estimates that more than 15,000 women died last year from ovarian cancer.

But routine screening of women with no symptoms isn’t recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists or other professional groups, even for women at high risk for the disease. That’s because the benefits of the available tests — a transvaginal ultrasound and a blood test that detects an antigen called CA-125 — haven’t been shown to outweigh their risks (such as complications from unnecessary surgery), or to reduce the number of deaths.

Despite that evidence, a new study finds that when presented with a scenario of a woman coming to her annual check-up, a significant percentage of physicians surveyed would screen for ovarian cancer.

Some 28.5% of the 1,088 primary-care docs? — OB/GYNs, family physicians and general internists — surveyed said they “sometimes” or “almost always” offered or ordered ovarian-cancer screening tests for low-risk women. when the vignette involved a woman at medium risk of the disease, that proportion jumped to 65.4% of physicians.

About a third of physicians reported believing that ultrasound or CA-125 blood testing is an effective screening test for ovarian cancer, the study found. It’s unclear why that is, and more research is needed to discover why, says Laura-Mae Baldwin, an author of the study and professor of family medicine at the University of Washington.

“We know that in medicine we have an enthusiasm for screening,” she says. “We want to find diseases before they can cause harm.”

The study also found that physicians were more likely to say they’d order screening for patients who requested it — even if the doctor herself didn’t believe screening was effective.

In that scenario, physicians may be trying to maintain a relationship with the patient, or they “may lack confidence in explaining why the test is more harmful than beneficial,” says Baldwin. she says there’s an important role for clinical tools that could accurately illustrate the level of risk faced by a particular woman and also illustrate the harms and benefits of the test.

The study is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

There are limitations to the research: doctors were reporting how they’d react to the scenarios presented to them, not discussing actual patients. and while there was a 62% response rate to the initial questionnaire sent to physicians, the results may not generalize to the doctors who didn’t respond, the authors write.

Shalom Life is proud to present our 2nd annual ”Top 20 under 40” list. This list encompasses 20 individuals of diverse occupations and backgrounds from businessmen and businesswomen and innovative entrepreneurs, to philanthropists, entertainers, doctors and more, the list places a spotlight on the myriad of talented, creative and passionate Jews, all under 40, who call Canada home.

Top 20 under 40 – Elana Waldman

Age: 38

There are those who talk the talk, others who walk the walk. Toronto’s Elana Waldman personifies the latter with her unique combination of strength, courage, compassion and inspiration.

Waldman, a 38-year-old native of Montreal, continues to show the leadership and commitment to her community – through volunteerism and generous philanthropy – that is a vital part of what makes Jewish Toronto one of the Diaspora’s most envied, and often emulated Jewish communities.

And, Waldman continues to make a difference in the lives of so many while she continues to stage a Herculean fight against ovarian cancer.

Married to Mark in 2002, and the mother of eight-year-old Sydney, Waldman, who earned her BA at McGill in Political Science and Law degree from Osgoode, practiced family law at McCarthy Tetrault until Feb 2007 when she was forced to take leave to undergo her first round of cancer treatment.

During her working days, Waldman became involved with the one Family Fund – an organization that provides direct financial, legal, and emotional assistance to victims of terrorism in Israel. she was the organization’s president for four years.

Along with volunteering her valuable time, Waldman continues to support a number of organizations financially as well.

Since her diagnosis, Waldman has used her unique skill set and uncommon commitment to helping others.

“While I was going through my first line of treatment I decided that I wanted to do something that would bring more awareness to the issue of ovarian cancer within the community at large. I reasoned that if someone who was relatively well informed about cancer and the BRCA mutations was so lacking in knowledge, most people probably knew even less.”

Shortly after that realization, Waldman, true to form, turned her words into actions after reading an article about an event that takes place in the Hamptons. Waldman decided to create a similar event in Toronto to benefit ovarian cancer research at Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital. and, with that, aWEARness was born.

“The first year of aWEARness was 2008,” says Waldman. “It was a huge success and I really believed that I had reached a large number of people who would otherwise not know about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. we also raised over $200,000 for research that year. we put the event on two more times. Unfortunately, with the turn in the economy and the continued health issues that I have, I had to make the decision not to do the event any longer.”

Not one to rest on her laurels, Waldman also became involved with an initiative called “It’s Time to Shout”.

“Ovarian cancer is called the cancer that whispers and this is a campaign of empowerment for those whose lives have been touched by the disease, either directly or indirectly,” she explains. “The website, itstimetoshout.com is the brainchild of Leigh Himel, one of Mark’s high school friends. Essentially, it is a website where people can upload their stories so that we have a critical mass of people raising their voices. the goal is to raise awareness and money for research into an early detection tool.”

In addition to the website, Waldman has a video blog on chatelaine.com, also called Time to Shout.

“I post every week or so about my journey with cancer. My aim is to educate about ovarian cancer but also to show that you can live with cancer. while it is challenging, there are still many wonderful things to enjoy in life and cancer doesn’t have to take those away.”

An inspiration to all who know her – and countless others who have never met her – Waldman maintains a happy, positive outlook on life.

“I have generally always been a fairly happy person. My disposition is just naturally optimistic and while at times that optimism has been tested, it has helped me focus on the light at the end of the tunnel when things get hard. People tell me that I am very strong. I don’t believe that. I am a mother. I do what I have to do to be here for my family. I do what I can to enjoy the time I have. whether I die from cancer, get hit by a bus or live a long life – no one knows. I can choose to worry about that or I can choose to make the most of whatever the time is that I have. I choose the latter.”

Shalom Life is currently searching for the best and brightest Jews under 40 in new York who have gained recognition in business, entertainment, philanthropy, technology and more. please send suggestions to

PharmaGap inc. (TSX VENTURE:GAP)(OTCBB:PHRGF) (“PharmaGap” or “the Company”) today announced initial results from preclinical testing at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (“OHRI”). Initial results from this study are positive and provide evidence that a peptide formulation of PharmaGap’s lead cancer drug GAP-107B8 administered via the intraperitoneal route can reduce tumour burden (19%) and significantly suppress ascites formation (73%) relative to controls. the test was undertaken at OHRI in collaboration with Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden.

Dr. Vanderhyden, upon initial review of the data commented “The reduction in ascites volume is very interesting in its own right, because this is a notable cause of morbidity in women with ovarian cancer. There is currently no drug therapy that is effective against ovarian cancer-associated ascites accumulation. Paracentesis, the removal of abdominal ascites, is commonly used to alleviate symptoms and prolong survival of women with ovarian cancer. the presence of ascites in ovarian cancer has been reported to be an indicator of poor prognosis for survival and correlates with a significantly decreased 5-year survival rate (5% with ascites vs. 45% without ascites) among women with stage III or IV epithelial ovarian carcinoma.”

The efficacy screening study was conducted over 2 weeks with twice daily dosing. with respect to this schedule the maximum tolerated dose as predetermined from a preliminary in-vivo study for each formulation (20 and 40 mg/Kg respectively) was administered.

In this study two formulations of GAP-107B8 peptides were tested in an established intraperitoneal xenograft model in immune-deficient mice and evaluated for tumour burden and accumulation of malignant ascites (excess fluid containing cancer cells in the abdominal cavity). the cell line selected for testing (OCC-1 human ovarian cancer) is of a phenotype characterized by the production of peritoneal ascites with growth of multiple small solid tumours.

Dr. Ken Sokoll, PharmaGap’s Vice President of Clinical Development and Chief Operating officer stated “We are continuing the analysis of this data along with Dr. Vanderhyden’s group and will provide additional details as they become apparent. This work has provided key information on preferred GAP-107B8 peptide formulations, relevant to our ongoing clinical development and peptide-based formulation program. Future efficacy studies to be conducted in the ovarian cancer model will include more broad-based screenings with liposomal formulations in order to determine if these initial positive findings can be improved further and reproduced in other ascites-producing cell lines. it is noteworthy that ascites formation is not unique to ovarian cancer, and a high incidence has been reported in other cancer types, including endometrial, breast, colon, stomach and pancreatic cancers.”

About OHRI and Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden

The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) is the research arm of the Ottawa Hospital and is an affiliated institute of the University of Ottawa, closely associated with the University’s Faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences. the OHRI includes more than 1,500 scientists, clinical investigators, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and staff conducting research to improve the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human disease. ohri.ca

Dr. Vanderhyden is a Senior Scientist, Cancer Therapeutics at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a Professor in the Departments of Cellular & Molecular Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Ottawa. She holds the Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research. She has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal papers primarily in the area of ovarian cancer and collaborates extensively with many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies focused on the development of therapies for ovarian cancer.

About PharmaGap inc.

PharmaGap inc. (TSX VENTURE:GAP), based in Ottawa, ON, is a biotechnology company with a core focus on developing novel peptide therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. PharmaGap’s GAP-107B8 is a novel peptide drug that has been shown to be highly cytotoxic to numerous cancer types, including chemo-resistant cancers, in vitro. For more information on PharmaGap please visit the Company’s website at pharmagap.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking statements as they relate to the Company and its management. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but represent management’s current expectations of future events, and can be identified by words such as “believe”, “expects”, “will”, “intends”, “plans”, “projects”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “continues”, and similar expressions. although management believes that expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be correct.

Note: neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. no Securities Commission or other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over PharmaGap has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein. This release contains forward looking statements that may not occur or may change materially.

Every year around 20,000 women get ovarian cancer in the United States and yet many are not fully aware of the symptoms.

The symptoms, according to Medline are:

1. Heavy feeling in pelvis
2. Pain in lower abdomen
3. Bleeding from the vagina (especially after menopause)
4. Weight gain or loss
5. Abnormal periods
6. Unexplained back pain that gets worse
7. Gas, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite

Please get yourselves checked if you have the above symptoms. Also keep in mind that sometimes there are no symptoms at all and that doctors can miss it as well. please protect yourselves and read more about how you can prevent this disease at Medline Plus.

With more than 25,000 newly diagnosed women each year, ovarian cancer is the seventh leading type of cancer for women in the United States. Ovarian cancer is also the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in women. unfortunately, only about 19 percent of ovarian cancer cases are identified early because the disease frequently shows extensive symptoms only after it has started to spread. However, there are signs researchers have identified as early symptoms of ovarian cancer. And when caught early, ovarian cancer is treatable.

Normally, the body produces new cells to replace old ones that die. However, in some cases new cells may grow when they are not needed, or old ones may not die as they should. When this happens, the extra cells form a mass called a growth, tumor, or cyst.

The tumors can be benign, which means they are not cancer and are not usually life threatening because they don’t spread to other tissues or other parts of the body. Malignant tumors, however, are those that can spread to other parts of the body when cells break away from the tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system (part of the body’s immune system). Malignant tumors are life threatening and are the ones known as cancer.

Ovaries are part of a woman’s reproductive system and are responsible for producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. a cyst can form on the surface or inside of the ovaries. Cysts are masses that contain fluid and sometimes also contain solid tissue. most of the time the cysts are benign, but the ones that are malignant are known as ovarian cancer.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are not always obvious and this is the reason it is often not detected early. As the cancer grows, it can cause:

• Swelling, bloating, or pain in the abdomen

• Gas or indigestion

• Constipation or diarrhea

• Pelvic, back, or leg pain

• Shortness of breath

• Feeling full quickly or difficulty eating

• Feeling constantly tired

• Feeling the need to urinate frequently

• Heavy periods or bleeding after menopause

In the past it was thought that ovarian cancer did not produce regular, identifiable symptoms until the cancer had already spread. However, in 2007 a group of organizations, including the American Cancer Society, issued a statement based on research into early signs of ovarian cancer. in the statement, researchers identified four symptoms in particular as possible early signs of ovarian cancer: bloating, feeling full quickly or difficulty eating, pelvic or abdominal pain, and frequent or urgent urination.

There are three types of ovarian cancer, determined by where the cancer cell growth begins. which type a woman has affects her treatment options and prognosis.

• Epithelial. most ovarian cancers are epithelial. Epithelial cancer begins on the thin layer of tissue that covers the outside of ovaries.

• Germ cell. Germ cell ovarian cancer is more common in younger women and begins with tumor growth inside egg-producing cells.

• Stromal. Stromal cancer begins in the cells that produce the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Researchers do not know what definitively causes ovarian cancer, but there are risk factors that can increase the chances of a woman developing ovarian cancer. it is important to keep in mind that having one or more of these risks does not mean that a woman will develop ovarian cancer.

• No pregnancies. Women who have never been pregnant have higher risks of developing ovarian cancer.

• Family history. The risk of developing ovarian cancer is higher for women who have family members that developed ovarian or breast cancer. About 10 to 20 percent of women with ovarian cancer have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer.

• Previous cancer diagnosis. The risk of developing ovarian cancer is higher if a woman has previously had breast, colon, uterine, or rectal cancer.

• Aging. The risk of developing ovarian cancer increases with a woman’s age, with most cases occurring after menopause.

• Hormone Replacement Therapy. The research has not been conclusive, but some studies indicate that women who use hormone replacement therapy to treat menopause are at an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.

• Inherited gene mutations. Breast cancer gene mutations, known as BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, significantly increases the chances of developing ovarian cancer. another gene mutation that increases risk is hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).

Because ovarian cancer symptoms can be vague or develop late in cancer progression, it is important that woman have regular pelvic exams. This is especially important for women with any of the listed risk factors. Identifying ovarian cancer early is a woman’s best chance for successful treatment and recovery.

MedicineNet: Ovarian Cancer

Mayo Clinic: Ovarian Cancer

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition: What is Ovarian Cancer?

WebMD: Ovarian Cancer Overview and Facts

John Hopkins Ovarian Cancer Center: About Ovarian Cancer

American Cancer Society: Ovarian Cancer has Early Symptoms

My friend is 25 years old and she gets cyst all the time.But everytime she goes to the doctor they do nothing.she has all the sign of ovarian cancer .But there is no gynecologist in her area taking medical cards.So what should she do?PLEASE HELP.

she needs to look into a clinic. many of them take you and you pay according to what you make.

I know one site. Pls u will see this. It has all types of cancer and heal cancer in natural way. Pls visit it will help u

I have a medical card and i live in Illinois , I have had kidney cancer for 5 years . They removed my kidney and my rib to get to the kidney. I had to go to Springfield IL. to get it done. St. Johns Hospital or Memorial . They are really nice people up there. There is all kinds of Dr. who take a medical card. they are giving her the run around.

I also would suggest trying to get another opinion.. Although small cysts are normal every month when you are going through your menstral cycle. Normally they disapate when you start your period and they are not a bother to most women. I have Endometriosis and it took me over 8 years to find a Dr that took me seriously enough to even LOOK and see what was going on inside of me. After I had an ovary removed and continued to have problems. I have been through about 10 Drs over the last 12 years or so. They all thought it was IN MY HEAD. But it was NOT.. Call the 800 number on the medical card to find out what Drs take the card and sometimes it is worth it to travel. I found a Dr that was 2 hours away from me that took my Medicaid card, that believed in my pain and suffering. It was WAY worth the travel.

Tell her NOT to give up on herself, Dr hunting is as important as someone giving a job interview! They work for YOU!!! YOU are hiring them!

Call the number on the back of her card and they can tell her where the closest gyn is that accepts her card. There is someone that will see her, with a medical card she just has to do all the leg work to find them.

HOSPITALS TAKE ALL THE MEDICAL INSURANCES. JUST GO AND REQUEST FULL EXAMINATION AND TESTS

Is there a cancer (preferably for women) that symptoms and signs are similar and can be mistaken for being pregnant? If so can anyone list any? It's for a story I'm writing you see! thank you!

hormone secreting ovarian tumors

a lot of middle age women fear they have cancer when in fact they're preggers!

Ovarian cancer. my mother had it and the first thing they asked was if she was pregnant.

A story, huh? Nice try.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Annual screening with ultrasound and a blood test called CA 125 usually misses early cases of ovarian cancer, according to a report in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology. In addition, ovarian cancer screening often leads to unnecessary biopsies and other surgical procedures.

The findings are consistent with guidelines by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, which recommend against such screening. Nonetheless, the authors conclude, more data are needed to determine if annual ultrasound and CA 125 screening reduces deaths from ovarian cancer.

Early-stage ovarian cancer often has only mild or no symptoms. Because results of early screening to detect this cancer in the early stage is not precise, it is usually diagnosed after it has progressed and become more deadly. less than 20 percent of all ovarian cancers in the U.S. are diagnosed before they spread outside of the ovary.

The current study included 34,261 women who were invited to undergo four rounds of annual screening as part of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer screening trial. the percentage of women who agreed to screening ranged from 83.1 percent in the first year to 77.6 percent in the fourth year.

The screening exam was considered positive if the ultrasound showed abnormalities on the ovaries or if blood levels of CA 125 were above a certain point, lead author Dr. Edward Partridge, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, and colleagues note.

Of the 89 cancers diagnosed, 60 were detected with screening, the report indicates. Unfortunately, 72 percent of those detected on screening were already at an advanced stage.

As noted, screening often led to unnecessary operations. Nearly 20 unneeded procedures, mostly biopsies, were performed for every cancer that was detected through screening.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. David G. Mutch, from Washington School of Medicine, St. Louis, suggests that "more research with the development of new and better technologies is needed if we are going to help identify patients with ovarian cancer at an earlier stage."

© Copyright (c) Reuters

I have been experiencing pelvic pain, pressure, and cramping in addtion to lower back pain for the past few weeks. it feels similar to the uncomfort I feel during menstruation. I am only 29 years old but seem to be experiencing several of the symptoms listed for this particular cancer. I would appreciate any information you may have on the subject. thanks.

Lower pelvic pain can come from many sources. Ovarian cancer usually does not show symptoms until it has advanced, thus it is known as a silent killer. if you have a family history (mother, sister) of either ovarian or breast cancer, you may want to request having a blood test (CA-125). However, this is also not an end-all test, as the numbers can be elevated if you endometriosis, infection, or other type of cancer.

First and foremost, you need to have a pelvic exam. if there is a growth, they MAY be able to feel it during this exam. if nothing can be determined from the physical exam, they will probably send you for a pelvic ultrasound (you can also request to have one done if your Dr. does not suggest it). During this exam, they will first use the ultrasound on your abdomen with a full bladder. Next, after you empty your bladder, they will use a wand (internally) to view your ovaries & uterus. they use color to see blood flow in your ovaries and anything that may be there. it could be something as simple as a cyst on the ovary. if there is a cyst, depending on the size, it could be a 'wait and see' if it goes away after a cycle. if it does not or is extreamly large, it may be suggested that it be removed.

Also, what side is it on? if it is on the right, they will rule out everything first before jumping to the cancer conclusion. it could be the apendix, gall bladder, or the GI tract. if it is on the left, it could be the pancrease or GI tract.

The only way to KNOW it is cancer, and even endometriosis for that fact, is to surgically look at it and do a biopsy.

Otherwise, symptoms of ovarian cancer are:
Abdominal/pelvic discomfort or pressure
Back or leg pain
Bloating
Changes in bowel function or urinary frequency
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., gas, long-term stomach pain, indigestion)
Malnourished or wasted appearance
Nausea or loss of appetite
Unusual vaginal bleeding

Most of these are due to the growth on the ovary causing the discomfort. Just so you know, a motto most Dr.s go by is "if you hear hooves, look for a horse, not a zebra", in other words, they will look for the common problem, the obvious, not the needle in the hay stack.

Many times, pelvic pain cannot be 'diagnosed', or it could be referred pain, coming from a totally different source, such as your back. There are nerves that run from your spine and wrap around to the front to the top of the inner thigh. if these are damaged or irritated, they can cause pain in the pelvic region.

The most important thing is to be your own advocate, because no one else will. if you don't like an answer, get a second opinion. Until they can tell you what it is or until they can rule everything else out, don't stop trying to get an answer.

I say this because I have just gone through the same thing. Back in may of 06, I started having pelvic pain. I thought it was a re-occuring cyst and just called my Dr. for some pain pills. she told me to come in since I hadn't seen her for this in over 6 months. she sent me for an ultrasound. Well, I had no resolution at that point and it still really hurt (we did find cysts & a gallstone that had to come out). During the course of the next two months, I saw 13 different doctors and had just about every procedure done below the waist. We tried medical management with birth control to help the cysts and finally, on December 30th 2006, I had my right ovary & fallopian tube removed. Good news, no cancer, no endometriosis. it turned out to be a very fiborous cyst producing ovary. Now, a month later, my pain has subsided substantially.

Under my sources, I have included two web sites, one for ovarian cancer and one for endometriosis. make an appointment with your gynocologist, write down ALL of your symptoms and take that list with you to your appointment. Write down any changes your body has shown, even if you don't think it's related. when you write it down and take it with you, it helps make sure you don't forget to tell the Dr. everything.

Good luck! the chances are it's nothing super serious, but make sure you keep those Dr.s working until you are satisfied with the results.

Is there any history of ovarian cancer in your family? Some women have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation which increases your risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Ovaries are a tricky thing to monitor. your symptoms sound like it could be a variety of things – take a list of questions to your doc, get an ultrasound and report any changes to the doc. Many women with ovarian cancer feel very few symptoms which is why it is often not caught until a later more deadly stage. Listen to your body and be good to yourself. Any docs or women with histories of breast or ovarian cancer with early age onset out there that are not aware of BRCA1 or BRCA2- get educated on this mutation.

Ovarian Cancer:

Recognizing ovarian cancer symptoms

Ovarian cancer often shows no obvious signs or symptoms until late in its development. Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

General abdominal discomfort and/or pain (gas, indigestion, pressure, swelling, bloating, cramps)

Nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or frequent urination

Loss of appetite

Feeling of fullness even after a light meal

Weight gain or loss with no known reason

Abnormal bleeding from the vagina

These symptoms may be caused by ovarian cancer or by other, less serious conditions. it is important to check with a doctor about any of these symptoms.

To help find the cause of symptoms, a doctor evaluates a woman's medical history. the doctor also performs a physical exam and orders diagnostic tests. Some exams and tests that may be useful are described below:

Pelvic exam includes feeling the uterus, vagina, ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, and rectum to find any abnormality in their shape or size. (A Pap test, a good test for cancer of the cervix, is often done along with the pelvic exam, but it is not a reliable way to find or diagnose ovarian cancer.)

Ultrasound refers to the use of high-frequency sound waves. These waves, which cannot be heard by humans, are aimed at the ovaries. the pattern of the echoes they produce creates a picture called a sonogram.

CA-125 assay is a blood test used to measure the level of CA-125, a tumor marker that is often found in higher-than-normal amounts in the blood of women with ovarian cancer.

Lower GI series, or barium enema, is a series of x-rays of the colon and rectum. the pictures are taken after the patient is given an enema with a white, chalky solution containing barium. the barium outlines the colon and rectum on the x-ray, making tumors or other abnormal areas easier to see.

CT (or CAT) scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.

Biopsy is the removal of tissue for examination under a microscope. a pathologist studies the tissue to make a diagnosis. to obtain the tissue, the surgeon performs a laparotomy (an operation to open the abdomen). if cancer is suspected, the surgeon performs an oophorectomy (removal of the entire ovary). This is important because, if cancer is present, removing just a sample of tissue by cutting through the outer layer of the ovary could allow cancer cells to escape and cause the disease to spread.

If the diagnosis is ovarian cancer, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of disease. Staging is a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body. Staging may involve surgery, x-rays and other imaging procedures, and lab tests. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.