Here at McCready Law we take Awareness very serious.  Please take a minute to familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of Ovarian and Prostate Cancer

When it comes to Ovarian Cancer Awareness, the Foundation for Women’s Cancer urges increased emphasis on helping women understand the steps
that can be undertaken to reduce the risks for gynecological cancers and receive the earliest possible diagnosis through symptom recognition.

LEARN about your risk because prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease.

* The risk of ovarian cancer increases with age, especially around the time of menopause.

* A family history of ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, primary peritoneal cancer or premenopausal breast cancer, or a personal history of premenopausal breast cancer place women at heightened risk for ovarian cancer.

* Infertility and not bearing children are risk factors while pregnancy and the use of birth control pills decrease risk.

LISTEN to your body for these symptoms:

*           Bloating

*           Pelvic or abdominal pain

*           Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly

*           Urinary symptoms, urgency or frequency

ACT because early-stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.

*  Unfortunately, there is no screening test for ovarian cancer.

* Women need to understand their risk and listen to their bodies for symptom.

*  If you have symptoms of ovarian cancer that are frequent, persistent and new to you, ask your doctor to consider ovarian cancer as a possible cause. Most likely you do not have ovarian cancer. But if ovarian cancer is suspected or diagnosed, seek care first from a gynecologic oncologist.

Prostate cancer early detection consists of two examinations:  a blood test that measures levels of Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA and a physical exam of the prostate or digital rectal exam.  The American Urological Association and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) say men at age 40 should consider a PSA test in order to establish a “baseline” level for future comparison and to determine PSA velocity (the rate at which a man’s PSA score increases).

Based on guidelines set by the NCCN, if the PSA level is 1.0ng/mL or greater, an annual follow-up with the doctor is needed. If the PSA level is less than 1.0 ng/mL, the next testing should occur at the age of 45. KNOW when to ACT. The right age to start PSA testing depends on your level of risk:

* Early detection should start at age 40 for the general population.

* African-American men, and men with one or more risk factors (such as family history, smoking or overweight) should start annual PSA testing at 40.  Veterans who fought in Vietnam or Korea and who were exposed to Agent Orange are also at increased risk.

* Some men choose to take a single test at an earlier age, 35 or 40, to get a PSA level when prostate cancer is not present and establish a “baseline” level for future comparison.

KNOW that there are no noticeable symptoms of prostate cancer while it is still in the early stages. In order to find prostate cancer in its most treatable form, it must be caught before symptoms appear. In more advanced stages, symptoms may include:

*           Difficult or frequent urination

*           Difficulty having an erection

*           Blood in the urine

*           Frequent pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs