September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month
It may be a short work week for most of you. However, we’ve got so much to cover!
September means many things to people. End of the summer. Back to school. Cooling off of the weather (hopefully). The return of a certain spice in every imaginable way.
It’s also Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month. As we encourage you to widen the definition of women’s health, we will still put an emphasis on gynecological health topics. For this month, we’ll run a series on gynecological cancers.
You can increase awareness and show your support on social media with resources from The Foundation for Women’s Cancer.
- Maggie Ruvoldt & Stephanie Majercik
The Tasting Menu
September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month
Basics on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Medications aren’t a one size fits all item.
September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. For this month, we’re running a series in the newsletter to bring you more about gynecologic cancers and key resources.
There are five major types of cancers that start in female reproductive organs.
Cervical is the only type that has a recommended screening test. The Pap and HPV test can lead to early detection.
Ovarian cancer symptoms are easily mistaken for something else and most don’t show up until later stages. This is why regular pelvic exams and discussing symptoms like bloating, pelvic pain, and urinary irregularities are critical.
Uterine cancer has two main subtypes. Endometrial cancer is more common and develops in the inner lining of the uterus. Uterine sarcoma is a rare cancer of the muscle of the uterus.
The last two are rare in the United States but still important for you to know.
Vaginal cancer symptoms include unusual bleeding, watery discharge, or may show up as a lump
Vulvar cancer is caused by HPV in about half of the 6,000 new cases in the U.S. annually. If you notice tenderness, itching/burning, or changes in the skin color of the vulva, you should talk to your healthcare provider.
We’ve got some resources for you to learn more, donate, or get involved, and will share more in the coming weeks.
The Foundation for Women’s Cancer is a wealth of information about gynecological cancers.
The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance is the largest nonprofit researching ovarian cancer and advocating for patients.
The National Cervical Cancer Coalition has local chapters and an education program on HPV
CancerCare.org has a patient support group for those diagnosed with gynecologic cancer.
Basics on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
We’ve talked about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as it relates to a few other health issues, but we’ve yet to dedicate time to it. This could be doing a disservice to our readers given that it is “one of the most common hormonal endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age.” According to a recent NIH study, PCOS affects 4-20% of women around the world.
So, we’re going to go over the basics here and will dive into this disorder even more in future newsletters.
What is PCOS?
PCOS is an disorder of the endocrine system, caused by an imbalance in hormones which can affect how your ovaries function and lead to other issues. With PCOS, the egg may not develop as it should and/or may not release as it should during ovulation.
Some common signs and symptoms of PCOS include:
Irregular periods – anything from not getting a period, to heavy prolonged periods, or just cycles that are way shorter or longer than the typical 28 days
Excess hair growth (hirsuitism) on face, chin or other parts of the body
Acne
Thinning hair
Weight gain
Skin tags and the darkening of skin
Common issues with PCOS
We most often hear about PCOS as it relates to fertility. Because your body may not be ovulating as it should, it can be more difficult to get pregnant and/or carry a pregnancy to term. But, having PCOS doesn’t mean that you can’t get pregnant – working with doctors there are ways to balance out your hormones and ovulate regularly.
Who gets PCOS?
PCOS doesn’t discriminate – it affects women of all ethnicities, shapes, and sizes. The NIH study referenced earlier does indicate that the severity of some symptoms may differ based on ethnicity, but that is not a risk factor or indicator of whether or not you’ll develop PCOS.
Genetics are thought to play a role, having a close family member (mother or sister) with PCOS could lead to a higher likelihood that you’ll develop it. And ultimately the underlying cause is unclear, but factors that contribute to include increase androgens (male hormones) and increased insulin.
If you have PCOS or you’re diagnosed with PCOS in the future, know that you are not alone. While there is no cure for PCOS, it is possible to manage the symptoms and balance out hormones, especially if you’re hoping to get pregnant.
Medications aren’t a one size fits all item
Many medications on the market were not tested or only tested in limited ways on women. There were policies banning women from drug trials from 1977 through 1993. That has resulted in serious gaps in knowledge and new research on gender differences in responses to drugs.
We’ve wanted to understand better what those differences were and what we should know about them.
First, let’s talk about how medication moves through your body. Drugs go through four stages in our bodies
Absorption - How it goes from the point it enters the body into the bloodstream. Did you swallow a pill or receive an injection?
Distribution - Drugs make their way to the various tissues in your body through the bloodstream.
Metabolism - Your body breaks the drug down, which often includes passing through your liver.
Excretion - This is how your body rids itself of the medication.
In thousands of studies analyzed for the impact of gender on adverse reactions, researchers have found that women have worse side effects and experience adverse drug reactions nearly twice as often as men.
Here are some of the basics that you should know (and talk to your healthcare provider about):
Women’s digestive systems tend to have less gastric acid and move more slowly than men’s. Your doctor may recommend waiting longer after you eat before taking some medications so they don’t remain in your system so long.
Women tend to have higher amounts of body fat and drugs can be stored in water or fats as they are broken down. That means you may have the good and bad effects of a drug longer. Talk to your healthcare provider about dosages.
If you are taking medications that make you sleepy or could impair you, understand how long they take to clear your body. Although it rarely makes gender-specific recommendations in dosage, the FDA lowered the recommended dosage of an insomnia medication and doesn’t recommend women take the slow-release version of the drug.
Women are prescribed and take more medications than men. You should understand the interactions of those medications and the cumulative effects of taking them over time.
Medical Term of the Week
An adverse drug reaction or ADR is any way in which there are side effects from a drug that aren’t intended. Seems pretty broad and it is. They can be as mild as a short headache or as serious as a life-threatening allergic reaction.
ADRs may be related to the dosage, an allergy, or may be idiosyncratic, which simply means they don’t fall into the other two categories.
It’s important to know that some ADRs take time to develop. You can be taking medication for weeks or years before they show up.
The FDA has a searchable database that you can access to read about the reported ADRs for medications you or your loved ones take.
The Latest
In a longitudinal study from Harvard Medical School call Project Viva, researchers found shorter menstrual cycles may contribute to more severe menopause symptoms. (from Contemporary OB/GYN)
A recent study on endometriosis has led to a law in Connecticut that “calls on the UCONN Health Center to develop a plan to establish the program to promote early detection, new therapeutic strategies for treatment, and early access to the latest therapeutic options for people who have received a diagnosis.” (from CT News Junkie)
One of our favorite companies, Pumpspotting, has teamed up with Resy to bring breastfeeding benefits to more restaurant workers. (from Employee Benefits News)