A Short Break and the End of an Awareness Month

I am taking a short break from my Ovarian Cancer awareness month postings. I am visiting my daughter and her family and enjoying time playing with my grandson. Right now he is napping.

 Isn't he a cutie pie?

Anyway, fall is in the air and the end of Ovarian Cancer month is approaching. This year OC activities have increased throughout the country.There were teal toes,teal shoe laces, teal jewelry, teal buildings, teal walks,teal  dinners,teal  motorcycle rides. Many women were featured in news articles and research about the genetics of ovarian cancer was reported.Thank you to everyone who participated in any way this month to make women aware.

I'll be back in early October . I'll be doing a post on the connections between breast and ovarian cancer and it is not just BRCA.

Enjoy the rest of September.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

OC awareness month #18 - Lynch Syndrome

While at the ASCO meeting in June I spent some time talking to the Myriad representatives. Myriad is the company that does the genetic testing for gene mutations, deletions and additions. I asked if the test used today is any different from the one they used to test my blood  6 years ago. There response was that they would test for LYNCH SYNDROME.

I knew Lynch syndrome associated with colorectal cancer but I wasn't sure how strong a connection there was between Lynch Syndrome and  ovarian cancer.

"Lynch Syndrome is also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), is a type of inherited cancer of the digestive tract. Lynch syndrome increases a woman's risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. It is caused by mutations in several different genes. Lynch syndrome also increases the risk of colorectal cancer, as well as cancers of thestomach, small intestine, liver, bile duct, urinary tract, the brain and central nervous system, and possibly breast cancer. http://www.cancer.net/all-about-cancer/genetics/genetics-ovarian-cancer
"
Mutations in the MLH1 or MSH2, MSH6 or PMS2 or EPCAM genes  are associated with Lynch Syndrome. Families with Lynch syndrome have two or more members who have colorectal, endometrial , ovarian or other cancer.

For more information about the test for Lynch Syndrome see this page.

Here is some interesting research on the Lynch Syndrome Ovarian Cancer link.

* Ovarian cancer linked to Lynch syndrome typically presents as early-onset, non-serous epithelial tumors.

*Routine Lynch Syndrome Screening Varies at U.S. Cancer Centers

* The clinical features of ovarian cancer in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.



Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

OC awareness #17- Even 8 year old girls can can have OC

A few years ago at an ovarian cancer walk in Hamilton, NJ,  I met a nine year old girl who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It is rare and tends to happen in the germ cells but it does happen. It sadden me to read about such young children being diagnosed with the disease.

Here is a powerful story about a young lady from Connecticut and her experience with the disease.  Girl 8 Survives Ovarian Cancer.  

Thank you Natalie Cosman's and her parents for allowing her to share her story.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!