"Mrs. Shields, it’s not good. You have ovarian cancer.” It was June 22, 2012, and I could hardly believe what my gastroenterologist (GI) was telling me. How could this happen? I just had my annual visit with my gynecologist 6 months prior, and my Pap smear and mammogram were normal.

Little did I know, there is no screening test for ovarian cancer.

Paula Shields, a local mom of two, writes in the September issue of Little Rock Family about her experience with cancer and how she survived extensive surgery and chemotherapy. (Read her complete story here.)

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of gynecological cancers, and as Shields discovered, there is no screening test. Your pap smear doesn't test for it.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2013, 22,200 women in the United States will be newly diagnosed, with over 14,000 dying. Due to the lack of a screening test, the mortality rate has not improved in more than 40 years. Over 60 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are in the later stages, when the 5 year survival rate is less than 27 percent.

Since it's up to you to do the screening, here are some signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer:

• bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain
• difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• urinary difficulty, including urgency and frequency
• unexplained bowel changes
• unexplained fatigue

If two or more of these symptoms persist for more than 2-3 weeks, contact your gynecologist.

Support

With education and awareness of the disease as its focus, the Arkansas Ovarian Cancer Coalition will have its 5th Annual Artists for Ovaries at Junior League of Little Rock at 6:30 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 20. Advance tickets are $35 and $45 at the door. Advance tickets for couples are $60.

For more information, call (501) 551-2738, email AROVCC@ArkansasOvarianCancer.org or visit www.ArkansasOvarianCancer.org.