“$124.6 billion spent on cancer, Inadequate care for some women with Ovarian cancer: Not just a women’s issue” ~ Cynthia G. Creel

“$124.6 billion spent on cancer, 

 Inadequate care for some women with Ovarian cancer: 

Not just a women’s issue”

~ Cynthia G. Creel 

My story:

There was nothing to be done, my mom was dying and the doctor’s couldn’t heal her. She would die. That was almost 30 years ago. Back then the pain of watching her travel the rocky, root bound path ending up at a dead end of cancer was difficult to watch as a young adult. I think now it was more difficult for my mom realizing she would no longer be there to help me or the family. She did what she could for as long as she could. On the day she died I knew within my life time there would be answers that might prevent cancer with early detection. Maybe even elimination of the body malfunctioning creating “wild firer cells” to be extinguished and eliminated restoring the body to a non-cancerous or dormant cancer waiting for the body to eliminate.

We hoped the doctor’s were doing their best job, the reality was they were totally unprepared to deal with this mess. Mostly because the 30 plus years ago they knew little to help ovarian cancer patients because it was usually found in advanced stages and treatments had little effect.

There was discussion about going to Texas for a new treatment and my mom decided not to because she didn’t  want to die away from home and the family. Today I would have told her to try, to see if It would work. Back then I didn’t really believe that her doctor’s wouldn’t heal her, just like brand new. Doctor’s were miracle workers on demand, yet they sadly fell short when it came to Ovarian Cancer. (OC)


Ovarian Cancer today:

In 2010 $124.6 billion was spent on cancer treatments in the Untied States reported by American Medical News (8). With all the money spent to save lives women are still left at unnecessary risk of dieing early from ovarian cancer (OC). We are left today with the an inadequate system that has created a higher risk for women facing OC.

Today there is a larger reason to be concerned than 30 years ago. Back then the doctors had limited knowledge and tools to fight with. Today the case was reported by the New York times (1)  on March 3, 2013, that most women suffering from OC do not receive the care available  that could save their lives, killing 15,000 a year and leaving about 22,000 new cases in the United States annually at higher risk. With 200,000 new cases world wide annually affecting women and their families, this is not something that should be ignored. According to the (CDC) (4) Who Gets Ovarian Cancer? that all women are at risk of OC with about 90% with OC being older than 40 years of age and the highest risk being at 60 years or older.  OC is the fifth leading cause of death after lung and bronchus, breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer causing more deaths than any other cancer affecting only women. This is a deadly cancer. Luckily only affecting about 3% of cancer cases.




These women are  at the mercy of others knowing what the best plan of action is as soon as possible, the time is limited due to the advance stages. The CDC (4) reports that the best chance of survival is early detection and treatment. The treatments in the United States are much more effective, unlike when my mom was diagnosed. The challenge is if the woman has a person well trained to take care of this cancer, knowing what works the best or just really only knowing part of the story and missing the opportunity to save a life or extended it for a few more years giving a chance for more time or a new solution to be created.

Some doctors may be hindered if they do not keep up on the massive amounts research hiding the most relevant studies. The tool of CA-125  blood work may not being helping doctors early detection of ovarian cancer as previously thought. In a study published on  Cancer Prevention Research (5) the statement was made, “The main conclusion is that CA-125 remains the “best of a bad lot”; the new candidates have fallen short of expectations.” after two other studies  (2,3)had promise in a biomarker detection. This leaves doctor’s using their best guess to what is going on and how to help a patient.

One reason that some doctor’s might be a poor choice in helping a person to survive this life threading event was also reported by the New York Times (6) reported on a study that suggests doctors have been led to expect an American with cancer might not live as long to live because of a statistical methods used in calculating cancer survival.

I have to believe if your doctor has the idea that there is hope and patients who are in the battle for their life need to have the same mind set of hope to find and answer for each person’s situation. After all who needs someone on your team that doesn’t think you have much of a chance to survive. No one has an expiration date on their foot. Looking for answers gives more options and the best chance of survival.


The best doctor will help:

If doctors don’t understand what is needed or don’t believe there is a chance who is there to create a viable solution? The only way is to find a doctor who is best qualified to handle this as recommended by the CDC the best doctor to seek out is a gynecologic oncologist who has been trained in the treatment of female reproductive system’s cancers.

The tip of the iceberg?:

My question is simple if this is happening to women with OC, a much more limited group to study, what is happening to others with cancer? Is the care adequate? Could this be the tip of the iceberg of inadequate care?  I don’t have the answers to those questions, believe that if there is one area with a problem it is likely there are more.

Final thoughts:

No family should loose a women to OC because of lack of knowledge, money or ways that are available being over looked. We need our women to be healthy. For the most part they are the care givers of the world. Help a women and you help many, loose a women and the effects ripple far and wide. My family wasn’t the same after mom died. If one more mom or other woman can be saved that is True Success.

In my book the best answer is being proactive. The  body is designed to repair itself. As the Boy Scouts said, “Always be prepared” to use every tool in the tool box to help. If there is no cancer growing out of control then there will be need for a cancer  treatment. The best plan of action is to step onto the Path of True Health. The body can stay functioning well leaving less exposure to factors that help create cancer and it is better able to heal when on the Path of True Health. Helping the body to operate well to do what it is designed to do eliminate what does not help it to function.  Even though I was told my odds of having OC were above 70%, I no longer think of it as a death sentence. I look for ways to lower the odds and know I am in control. If by chance I have the “bad luck” created by the unknown then I know my best chance is to find people who understand my situation the best and stay tighter to the Path of True Health.

Walking the True Path of Health has given me much in having a body that works like a younger, healthy person with a mind that can think clearly to be able to remember. It doesn’t make me perfect, it just gives me the best chance of peace of mind and limiting the affects of pitfalls of life. May you find the strength to find your Path of True Health to create a good life by design. No one should be lost to cancer, it affects whole families not just one.

By Design ~ "Bringing the living back into life

Photo creation by Cynthia G. Creel all rights reserved ©2013

A “tulip tree” just a dusk




3-12-2013 all rights reserved ©2013 written permission is needed to duplicate

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of By Design or Cynthia G. Creel. Consultation of a medical professional is highly recommended before any changes are considered. This article is not saying anyone  person or company is at fault, it is just one possibility of many and is only speaking in general terms. .

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Sources:




(1) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/health/ovarian-cancer-study-finds-widespread-flaws-in-treatment.html?pagewanted=all

(2) http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org/content/4/3/365

(3) http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org/content/4/3/375

(4) http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/basic_info/treatment.htm

(5) http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org/content/4/3/303

(6) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/11/us/study-sees-cancer-survival-in-a-more-optimistic-light.html

(7) http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/index.htm

(8) : http://www.ama-assn.org/