Reception Will Honor 'O' Cancer Life Savers.

WASHINGTON -- Ovarian & Gynecologic Cancer Coalition:

WHO:        Ovarian & Gynecologic Cancer Coalition/Rhonda's Club
            (OGCC) of Metropolitan Washington.

WHAT:       The Gift of Healing: A Reception to honor community
            gynecological oncologists.

WHERE:      George Washington University City View Room, 1957 E
            Street, N.W., 7th Floor, Washington, D.C.

WHEN:       Thursday, Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m.

WHY:        To honor these physicians for their life-saving work and
            to raise awareness of a new consensus on the early-stage
            symptoms of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is the fifth
            leading killer of women. Some 20,000 women in the United
            States are diagnosed with the disease every year, and
            about 15,000 women die from it during the same period,
            including 500 in metro Washington. Only about 20 percent
            of ovarian cancers are found before the malignancy has
            spread to other tissues, according to the Mayo Clinic.

CONTACTS:   For information on the reception, to cover it in person,
            or to interview a gynecological oncologist, contact Joe
            Walker, 703-491-3301, [e-mail], or L. Paige
            Whitaker, 703-346-3893, [e-mail].

Recognition of the early-stage symptoms of ovarian cancer will help save lives, says the Ovarian & Gynecologic Cancer Coalition/Rhonda's Club (OGCC) of Washington, which will host a reception September 20 to honor gynecological oncologists from the metro area.

"The Gift of Healing: Honoring Our Community Gynecologic Oncologists" reception for nearly 30 metro-area physicians will be held from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the George Washington University City View Room.

Historically, ovarian cancer was called the "silent killer" because symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of cure was poor. But in June, the American Cancer Society, Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists and other groups issued a consensus statement that early-stage ovarian cancer is typically characterized by: (1) bloating, (2) pelvic or abdominal pain, (3) difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and (4) urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency).

"Women with ovarian cancer report that these symptoms frequently recur and represent a change from normal for their bodies," said L. Paige Whitaker, chair of the OGCC's Board and a seven-year cancer survivor. "Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis."