Ovarian cancer screening is critical in detecting tumors that don't show up on clinical exams, and increases chance of survival

Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear joined some of the state's female legislators to highlight the importance of screening for ovarian cancer, which can be done for free through the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center's ovarian cancer screening program.

Ovarian cancer is fifth among cancer killers of American women and accounts for more cancer-related deaths, causing more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system, says the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER (CDC)

When ovarian cancer is found in its early stages, treatment is most effective, but most women with ovarian cancer don't have symptoms of it until the disease progresses into a more advanced stage. As it progresses, survival rates drop sharply, making screening and early detection critical. Data from the screening program at UK shows that regular screening increases survival rates, says a UK news release.

"This preventative ovarian cancer screening is free, quick and confidential – an easy way for women to protect themselves from this life-threatening illness," Jane Beshear said. "This simple procedure is available to women in all parts of Kentucky, not just the Lexington area, and I encourage all who are at-risk for the disease to participate in the program."

Dr. John van Nagell, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Markey Cancer Center, said "While regular pelvic examinations are important and can detect many other abnormalities, including cervical cancer, they are not effective in detecting ovarian cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages."

Van Nagell started the screening program in 1987 to test the use of transvaginal sonography to detect ovarian tumors that are too small to be detected during an annual exam, says the release. Over the program's 26 year period, more than 241,000 free screening examinations have been provided to more than 41,000 Kentucky women, and 558 ovarian tumors and 86 malignancies have been detected.

Women from every county in the state have participated in this program, says the release. Screenings through the program are now being performed in Lexington, Elizabethtown, Somerset, Prestonsburg, Maysville, Paducah and Greenup County.

All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but older women are more likely to get the disease. About 90 percent of women who get it are older than 40, says the CDC.

The UK screening program is free and open to women age 50 or older, or women over the age of 25 who have a family history of ovarian cancer. For more information, call (859) 323-4687 or (800) 766-8279. Click here for more CDC information.

Markey Cancer Center at UK gets National Cancer Institute designation, opening up new treatment options for patients

The University of Kentucky annouced Friday that its Markey Cancer Center has earned a prestigious National Cancer Institute designation. With this designation, the center becomes one of 68 in the U.S., and the only one in Kentucky, with special access to clinical trials, new treatments and new drugs for patients.

Kentucky ranks first in the nation in cancer deaths per 100,000 residents, and cancer is especially problematic in Appalachia, where the overall cancer rate is 12 percent higher than in the United States.

The designation signifies national excellence in clinical care and cancer research, a UK news release said. It allows Markey patients to join specialized drug or treatment trials that are open only to NCI centers, and it also opens up funding for researchers at UK, said Michael Karpf, UK's executive vice president for health affairs.

"It's the ultimate recognition for academic cancer centers," Markey Executive Director Mark Evers said. It will help UK battle cancers that plague the state, particularly lung and colorectal cancers, Evers said in a story by Linda Blackford of the Lexington Herald-Leader. To earn the designation, the center had to pass a rigorous review that began four years ago and will be renewed every five years, says the UK release.

UK officials said the designation will boost the state and local economy through research funding, and advanced cancer research could also generate more high-tech, health care jobs in the state.  "It strengthens Markey’s reputation as a frontrunner in cancer treatment and research," the UK release said.

Clinic in Greenup will offer free ovarian cancer screenings for Northeast Ky. women

Women in Northeastern Kentucky will be able to receive free ovarian cancer screenings thanks to funding that will set up a clinic in Greenup County.

The clinic is intended for women in Lewis, Carter, Elliott, Greenup and Boyd counties, as well as two counties in Ohio, but "certainly anyone who arrives at the clinic who meets the requirements will be eligible for screening," said Parry Barrows, spokeswoman for Gov. Steve Beshear's office. Eligible women must be age 50 and older or over the age of 25 who have a family history of ovarian cancer.

The clinic will be an expansion of a program that has been in place in Lexington since 1987. As of September, more than 200,000 screenings have been performed on more than 37,000 Kentucky women as part of the program.

To build the clinic, which will be located in the Greenup County Health Department, a $200,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant will be combined with $45,000 from UK. The health department will contribute $66,600.

"Funding will go toward purchasing required equipment and furnishings, as well as provide program operations for up to 3 years," saysa press release from Beshear's office. "UK will train local ultrasound technicians to facilitate the scans and the UK Markey Cancer Center will read the scans and deliver patient reports."

"Establishing this satellite clinic ... will help save lives by giving women in northeast Kentucky and southern Ohio better access to free ovarian cancer screenings," said Chris Crum, director of the Greenup County Health Department. (Read more)