Committee approves bill on ovarian cancer awareness
Legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini that would permanently designate February as "Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month" in New Jersey has been approved by the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee.

The bill, A-3382, aims to raise awareness among the public and health care community of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, the importance of early detection, and the risk factors associated with developing ovarian cancer, according to a press release from Angelini's office.

"Designating February as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month will play a key role in educating women about this type of cancer and will hopefully lead to early detection," said Angelini, R-Monmouth. "It is vital that we promote awareness of this devastating disease that claims the lives of so many women."

Among women in the country, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common type of cancer and the fifth-leading cause of cancer-related death, according to the release. The National Cancer Institute reported that in 2008 more than 21,600 women in the United States were diagnosed, while 15,520 died from this disease, according to the release.

"Ovarian cancer has an impact on everyone because it affects mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts and friends," Angelini said. "It is a disease that knows no boundaries."

When ovarian cancer is found and treated in its earliest stages, the five-year survival rate is 95 percent. However, most women who suffer from ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until the disease has spread in the later stages of cancer. After the disease has spread, the survival rate decreases to only 30 percent, according to the release.