Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is being recognized in September to highlight the ongoing challenges posed by ovarian cancer and the importance of early detection. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 20,890 women are expected to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2025. Ovarian cancer continues to be a significant cause of cancer-related deaths among women, but increased awareness and advances in treatment are contributing to progress.
“National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is important because it is a time dedicated to women and the public to gain knowledge about ovarian cancer. This is important because an increase in public knowledge can lead to earlier diagnoses and hopefully lower the death rate. Therefore, the purpose of this month is to raise awareness surrounding ovarian cancer, which is sometimes referred to as the ‘silent killer.’ This is because the symptoms of ovarian cancer are very similar to other diseases, which means women will overlook the signs, and they will not realize they should see a doctor and get tested. As a result of this, the diagnosis for ovarian cancer is typically confirmed at a later stage. According to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, only 20 percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in the early stages,” said State Representative Todd Hunter.
Because symptoms such as persistent bloating, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and pelvic or abdominal pain can resemble those of other conditions, recognizing them early can make a difference. Age and family history remain major risk factors for developing ovarian cancer.
Resources like the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (https://ovarian.org/), RadiologyInfo.org (https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/ovca), and the American Association for Cancer Research (https://www.aacr.org/patients-caregivers/awareness-months/ovarian-cancer-awareness-month/) provide information on prevention, diagnosis, symptoms, and risk factors associated with ovarian cancer.
“If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns, or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603),” said Hunter.
Representative Hunter serves Aransas County and part of Nueces County and encourages constituents seeking more information about ovarian cancer or related state services to reach out via email at todd.hunter@house.texas.gov or by phone.
