Forty-eight percent of Americans are unfamiliar with their family’s cancer history, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by Talker Research to highlight Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month found that 42% of women and 54% of men were unclear on many of their relatives’ medical history.
Twenty-two percent of the 1,000 women surveyed felt confident they know who has or hasn’t had cancer in their family but were unsure of the actual type.
A fifth of women surveyed (20%) didn’t know at all their family’s cancer history, and just 46% of the 1,000 women surveyed felt confident they were up to date fully with all their health checks,
When asked to cite the reasons for not being up to date on health checks, anxiety and fear were the common responses with 30% of women who are not up to date naming this as their driving factor.
Being too busy (24%), and feeling physically uncomfortable with the process 21% were also prominent reasons given for not being up to date on health checks.
The survey results also highlighted a lack of awareness and understanding in ovarian cancer – one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women.
Forty-two percent of the 1,000 women polled didn’t feel they could identify any symptoms.
Here are four key facts everyone should know about ovarian cancer:
A Pap test does not detect ovarian cancer. While Pap tests are vital for detecting cervical cancer, they do not screen for ovarian cancer. If you’re experiencing concerning symptoms, bring them up during your gynecological appointment.
Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late. Since there’s no routine screening for ovarian cancer, it is usually found after it has spread, making it harder to treat. Awareness of symptoms can play a huge role in getting diagnosed earlier.
Diagnosing ovarian cancer before it spreads makes it much more treatable. The sooner it’s caught, the better your chances of receiving effective treatment.
Know the symptoms. While ovarian cancer can be challenging to catch early, knowing the symptoms can make a huge difference:
- Persistent bloating
- Difficulty eating
- Feeling full quickly
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Urinary symptoms (such as urgency or frequency)
“If any of these symptoms are persistent (meaning they don’t come and go), visit your primary health care professional.
Originally published by Talker News