Ovarian Cancer
Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl is has one woman’s story of beating the odds.
It’s all about early detection and now the University of Pennsylvania has a new ovarian cancer center, looking for better screenings, currently there isn’t one.
For now it’s often about getting lucky.
Rachael Frazier was just 26-years-old when ovarian cancer was found in a routine gynecologic exam. All her hopes and dreams: suddenly in jeopardy.
“I wanted to get married and have children and have the whole family life and it thought that was it, it was over and I was scared. I was very, very scared,” Rachael said.
Fear turned to pain, Rachael had surgery to remove an ovary, and then excruciating chemotherapy.
“It was a nightmare,” Rachael said.
But it finally ended and Rachael got married getting pregnant with just one ovary was a long shot. But it happened.
“It’s unbelievable the pregnancy I didn’t think it could happen and it happened and he just lights up my life,” Rachael said.
Baby Jacob was born on March 13th.
“It is miraculous,” said Dr. Stephen Rubin.
Dr. Rubin, the Director of Gynecologic Oncology at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center says Rachael’s early diagnosis made all the difference.
“She’s extremely lucky, the average ovarian cancer is not diagnosed until the disease is far advanced and the opportunities for cure are limited,” said Dr. Rubin.
“Her whole situation is quite amazing from start to finish she’s very lucky
Because not only are women often left infertile after ovarian cancer most don’t survive because there’s no early detection tests and symptoms are often vague.
source : cbs3.com
