There is no test that screens for ovarian cancer, but a new survey found that many women mistakenly believe pap smears can detect it.
This misunderstanding can put women at risk.
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Katya Lezin ovarian cancer survivor who was diagnosed at 46 years old.
“My kids at the time were 11, 15, and 17, and I was facing the very real possibility that I may not be able to see them into adulthood,” Lezin said.
Ovarian cancer has a 50% survival rate over five years.
If it is caught during stage one, those odds improve significantly with a survival rate of more than 90%.
A new nationwide survey found that 7 in 10 women wrongly believe pap smears test for ovarian cancer.
“The pap smear screens for cervical cancer, only,” Medical Director at Luminis Health Ifeyinwa Stitt said.
Stitt said since guidelines now recommend a pap smear every three to five years, too many women skip annual checkups that could potentially catch the early symptoms of ovarian cancer, like pelvic pain, bloating, or low appetite.
“By not being seen annually we lose the opportunity to screen for some of these subtle presentations,” Stitt said.
For those with a family history of ovarian cancer, genetic testing can identify the risk.
Lezin carries the BRCA1 gene mutation. It increases the chance of multiple cancers, including breast cancer.
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“I elected to have a prophylactic double mastectomy that was fully paid for by my insurance company because of my mutation,” Lezin said.
More than 10 years after he first diagnosis, she is living proof that anyone can survive ovarian cancer.
“Let’s arm ourselves with the right information and be proactive about our health before you get that call that says I don’t know how to tell you this,” Lezin said.
Lezin said all women should see their doctor every year.
The National Cancer Institute says doctors will diagnose nearly 20,000 women with ovarian cancer this year.
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