PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome

This is the first part in a multi-part series on PCOS. I care for many women with PCOS and they've told me that there isn't a lot of information that's easily understood available.

What women with PCOS may notice:

• Too much hair in places you don't want it, like the upper lip, chin, around the breasts and tummy

• Difficulty losing weight

• No periods, irregular periods or 1 -2 each year

• Acne

• Darkened skin around the neck and/or armpits

• Inability to become pregnant

What your provider may notice

It's startling how many women suffer from ovarian conditions. One of my younger sisters had a scare with one of her ovaries when she was in her early 30's and had to have a partial hysterectomy. Fortunately, she didn't have any more issues; unfortunately, it was not likely that she'd be able to have children without major complications.

Would you recognize the symptoms of an ovarian condition?

Get information about ovarian cancer, causes and treatment, exams and tests and more.

Naomi Campbell had an ovarian tumor removed in Brazil to save her fertility.

The 38-year-old British supermodel has revealed US doctors failed to diagnose the condition forcing her to head to South America for treatment.

Naomi – who previously claimed she went to Brazil for surgery to remove a cyst from her stomach - said: “In America they missed my symptoms. I was in pain for months. So I went to Brazil where they have wonderful doctors. They discovered an ovarian tumor that had burst and caused infection. They operated and now I can have children, God willing.”

The N.Y. Times recently reported on a new blood test for Ovarian Cancer, OvaSure. What at first seemed promising, may not be, after all, because the testing was done on women who already have Ovarian Cancer, not on women who are being screened for the early signs.

CA – 125

A new blood test that can reportedly detect ovarian cancer at earlier, and possibly treatable stages is encouraging to some women and their doctors, but the FDA says the test has not been proven, says the New York Times.

According to the American Cancer Society “Almost half (45%) of women with ovarian cancer are still alive at least 5 years after diagnosis. Women younger than 65 have better 5-year survival rates than older women.

Newbie here so I hope I'm doing this right....LOL I found out 3 years ago that I have 3 cysts on my right ovary. My gyne has been watching them closely via ultrasounds and CA125 blood tests because my mom had ovarian cancer 13 yrs. ago....alive and healthy!!

Ovarian cancer often progresses quietly and advances to incurable stages. But there are a few questions you can ask yourself to assess warning signs and discover if you may be at risk.

This week, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center showed six key symptoms and a blood test, help improve the early detection of ovarian cancer by 20 percent, according to findings published online in the journal Cancer. (Source: New York Times