Don't mean to intrude but this information should get out to all women. Tell
your Doctor on your next blood test you want to be check for CA-125.
-----Original Message-----
> From: Bunting, Jan
> Sent: Friday, November 20, 1998 9:52 AM
> To: Welch, Jim
> Subject: FW: Blood Test You Need to Know About!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Beals, Andrea
> Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 1998 9:46 AM
> To: Miola, Laura; Cochrane, Dorothy; Simmons, Lynn;
> 'Oehlke, Leanne'; 'Celine'; 'rebecca'; 'Calvet'; Looney, Nancy; Gunnerson,
> Jean; Arraiol, Colleen; Kennedy, Mary; Gavin, Donna; Wynot, Mary; LaMarca,
> Julie; Campbell, Laurie; 'kbart(AT)trustinsurance.com'; Zienowicz, Leona;
> Wellness Ctr Taunton; Potter, Sarah; Bunting, Jan; Preeper, Fran;
> Wilkinson, Liz; Boehner, Peg
> Subject: FW: Blood Test You Need to Know About!
>
> I know a lot more than 55 women....spread the word!
>
> Andrea
> 508-880-4568
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chabot, Joanne
> Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 1998 8:04 AM
> To: Anderson, Tina; Hazen, Nancy; Geppner, Pam; Beals,
> Andrea; Nathan, Carole; Symister, Eva; Wilson, Corinne
> Subject: FW: Blood Test You Need to Know About!
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Johnson, Auggie
> Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 1998 2:36 PM
> To: Stanford, Karen; Flumerfelt, Jill; Chabot, Joanne;
> Tompkins, Joanne; LeClair, Maura; Guyette, Patricia; Almeida, Lauren;
> McKinley, Jean
> Subject: FW: Blood Test You Need to Know About!
>
> ...I will add my two cents worth ... this is the same type
> of cancer Deb Cremin has - as the note below states, the symptoms are not
> what you would normally expect with cancer, therefore get ignored by women
> or misdiagnosed like the woman below.
> Auggie
> 508 880-2146
> auggie.johnson(AT)gsc.gte.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> > > THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION. READ IT AND FORWARD
> IT TO
> > > EVERYBODY!!!
> > >
> > > As all of you know, I have Primary Peritoneal Cancer.
> This cancer has
> > > only recently been identified as its OWN type of cancer;
> but it is,
> > > essentially, Ovarian Cancer. Both types of cancer are
> diagnosed in the
> > same way
> > > with the "tumor marker" CA-125 blood test), and they
> are treated in
> > the same
> > > way (surgery to remove the primary tumor and then
> chemotherapy with
> > Taxol
> > > and Carboplatin).
> > >
> > > Having gone through this ordeal, I want to save others
> from the same
> > > fate. That is why I am sending this message to you and
> hope you will
> > print
> > > it and give it or send it via e-mail to everybody you
> know.
> > >
> > > One thing I have learned is that each of us must take
> TOTAL
> > > responsibility for our own health care. I thought I had
> done that
> > because I always
> > > had an annual physical, had my annual mammogram and PAP
> smear, did
> > monthly
> > > Self Breast Exam, went to the dentist at least
> twice/year, etc. I even
> > > insisted on a sigmoidoscopy and a bone density test
> last year.
> > >
> > > When I had a total hysterectomy in 1993, I thought that
> I did not have
> > > to worry about getting any of the female reproductive
> organ cancers.
> > >
> > > LITTLE DID I KNOW!
> > >
> > > I don't have ovaries (and they were HEALTHY when they
> were removed!),
> > > but I have what is essentially ovarian cancer.
> Strange, isn't it?
> > These
> > > are just SOME of the things our Doctors never tell us.
> > >
> > > ONE OUT OF EVERY 55 WOMEN WILL GET OVARIAN OR PRIMARY
> PERITONEAL
> > > CANCER! > THE "CLASSIC" SYMPTOMS ARE AN ABDOMEN THAT
> RATHER SUDDENLY
> > ENLARGES
> > > AND CONSTIPATION AND/OR DIARRHEA.
> > >
> > > I had these classic symptoms and went to the Doctor.
> Because these
> > > symptoms seemed to be "abdominal," I went to a
> gastroenterologist. He
> > ran
> > > tests that were designed to determine whether there
> was a bacterial
> > infection;
> > > these tests were negative, and I was diagnosed with
> "Irritable Bowel
> > > Syndrome."
> > > I guess I would have accepted this diagnosis had it not
> been for my
> > > enlarged abdomen. I swear to you, it looked like I was
> 4-5 months
> > pregnant!
> > > I, therefore, insisted on more tests. They took an
> X-Ray of my
> > abdomen;
> > > it was > negative. I was, again, assurred that I had
> Irritable Bowel
> > Syndrome
> > > and was encouraged to go on my scheduled month-long
> trip to Europe. I
> > > couldn't > wear any of my slacks or shorts because I
> couldn't get them
> > buttoned,
> > > and I > KNEW something was radically wrong. I INSISTED
> on more tests,
> > and
> > > they > (reluctantly) scheduled me for a CT-Scan (just to
> shut me up, I
> > > think). This is what I mean by taking charge of our own
> health care.
> > >
> > > The CT-Scan showed a lot of fluid in my abdomen (NOT
> normal!).
> > > Needless to say, I had to cancel my trip and have FIVE
> POUNDS of fluid
> > drawn off
> > > at the hospital (not a pleasant procedure, I assure
> you, but NOTHING
> > compared
> > > to what was ahead of me). Tests revealed cancer cells
> in the fluid.
> > > Finally, finally, finally, the Doctor ran a CA-125
> blood test and I was
> > > properly diagnosed.
> > >
> > > I HAD THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS FOR OVARIAN CANCER AND, YET,
> THIS SIMPLE
> > > CA-125 BLOOD TEST HAD NEVER BEEN RUN ON ME ... NOT AS
> PART OF MY ANNUAL
> > > PHYSICAL EXAM AND NOT WHEN I WAS SYMPTOMATIC. THIS IS
> AN INEXPENSIVE
> > AND
> > > SIMPLE BLOOD TEST!!!
> > >
> > > PLEASE, PLEASE, P-L-E-A-S-E TELL ALL YOUR FEMALE FRIENDS
> AND RELATIVES
> > > TO INSIST ON A CA-125 BLOOD TEST EVERY YEAR AS PART OF
> THEIR ANNUAL
> > > PHYSICAL EXAMS. BE FOREWARNED THAT THEIR DOCTORS MIGHT
> TRY TO TALK
> > THEM OUT OF
> > > IT, SAYING "IT ISN'T NECESSARY." BELIEVE ME, HAD I
> KNOWN THEN WHAT I
> > KNOW
> > > NOW, WE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY CANCER MUCH EARLIER
> (BEFORE IT WAS A STAGE
> > 3
> > > CANCER)!!! INSIST ON THE CA-125 BLOOD TEST; DON'T TAKE
> "NO" FOR AN
> > > ANSWER.
> > >
> > > THE NORMAL RANGE FOR A CA-125 BLOOD TEST IS BETWEEN ZERO
> AND 35.
> > > (MINE WAS 754 ... THAT'S RIGHT, 754!) IF THE NUMBER IS
> SLIGHTLY
> > ELEVATED, YOU
> > > CAN HAVE ANOTHER ONE DONE IN THREE OR SIX MONTHS AND
> KEEP A CLOSE EYE
> > ON
> > > IT JUST LIKE WOMEN DO WHEN THEY HAVE FIBROID TUMORS OR
> WHEN MEN HAVE A
> > > SLIGHTLY ELEVATED PSA TEST (PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGENS)
> THAT HELPS
> > DIAGNOSE
> > > PROSTATE CANCER. HAVING THE CA-125 TEST DONE ANNUALLY
> CAN ALERT YOU
> > EARLY, AND
> > > THAT'S THE GOAL IN DIAGNOSING ANY TYPE OF CANCER --
> CATCH IT EARLY.
> > >
> > > I hope I haven't bored you with all of this. But I hope
> I HAVE scared
> > > you enough to motivate you to action. Do YOU know 55
> women? If so, at
> > > least one of them will have this VERY AGGRESSIVE cancer
> -- and maybe,
> > just
> > > maybe, it will be YOU. I hope not.
> > >
> > > Please, go to your Doctor THIS WEEK and insist on a
> CA-125 test and
> > > have one
> > > EVERY YEAR for the rest of your life. And forward this
> message to
> > > every woman you know and tell all of your female family
> members and
> > friends.
> > > As the Nike ads say, "JUST DO IT!"
> > >
> > > Please don't think youth will protect you, either.
> Though the median
> > > age for this cancer is 56 (and, guess what, I'm exactly
> 56), women as
> > > young as 22 have it. Age is not a factor.
> >
> >
> >