Northside Hospital to hang giant teal ribbon

In September, Northside Hospital in Sandy Springs will honor Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month with the hanging of a 12-foot teal ribbon on the side of the hospital's 960 Doctors' Centre, to be seen by tens of thousands traveling on I-285 and GA 400 throughout the month.

The ribbon will not only honor the survivors and loved ones lost to ovarian cancer, but it also will raise awareness in women to learn about the symptoms of ovarian cancer and to get screened.

A reception to honor ovarian cancer survivors will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., in the Atrium level lobby of the Northside Hospital Women's Center, 1000 Johnson Ferry Road, Atlanta. The community is invited to attend.

More than 22,000 women in this United States will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. The largest and most respected provider of cancer care services in Atlanta, more cases of gynecological cancer are diagnosed and treated at Northside Hospital each year than at any other hospital in Georgia, with 98 cases of ovarian cancer in 2007.

The hospital leads the way in groundbreaking procedures for better outcomes and less invasive treatments for gynecologic cancers.

In 2006, Northside introduced robotic hysterectomy for gynecologic oncology patients and ranks in the top five percent of all robotic GYN programs in the country. The hospital also offers genetic testing for families with a history of ovarian cancer and participates in multiple oncology research programs and clinical trials, some of which are often only found at large academic medical centers and research universities.

"Unfortunately, the majority of ovarian cancers have spread by time of diagnosis,” said Patti Owen, director of oncology services at Northside Hospital. "Increased awareness of ovarian cancer is so important because early detection improves the chances that it can be treated successfully.”

Known as the "silent” cancer because symptoms are so vague and often are dismissed as normal discomfort, ovarian cancer is rarely detected until late stage, when the cancer is less treatable. Fortunately, women can take an active role in the early detection of ovarian cancer by knowing their bodies and recognizing symptoms for what they are.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer can include:
• Bloating
• Swelling
• Loss of appetite
• Fullness, even after a small meal
• Gas
• Indigestion
• Nausea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Frequent urination
• Pelvic pressure
• Back or leg pain

Early recognition is the best way to save women's lives. The Hereditary Cancer Program at Northside Hospital provides women with genetic testing for ovarian cancer.

"Ten percent of all ovarian cancers are hereditary,” said Selvi Palaniappan, certified genetic counselor at Northside Hospital. "If you have a hereditary ovarian cancer, you and your family may be at an increased risk for other cancers, such as breast and/or colon cancer.”

The genetic testing screens for specific cancer-causing mutations and helps educate women on the risks for developing ovarian cancer and the preventative measures that can be taken to reduce those risks.