EUROBODALLA women turned out in force on Saturday night to hear advice on female cancers.
Organiser Dr Tyson Sheean said 391 women attended the Women’s Oncology Education Night at Batemans Bay Soldiers Club.
“It was invigorating to see so many women willing to stand up and take charge of their health,” Dr Sheean said.
Dr Sheean lost his mother Vera to ovarian cancer last year and presented the seminar with a fellow Royal Prince Alfred resident medical officer Dr Leon Edwards.
Australian guidelines do not yet recommend removal of the fallopian tubes during hysterectomy, but Dr Sheean said evidence was emerging overseas that it could reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in some women.
He recommended women scheduled for hysterectomy discuss the issue with their specialist.
Dr Sheean said the most important messages about cervical cancer were regular pap smears, safe sex, vaccination and quitting smoking, as smokers carried higher levels of the virus implicated in cervical cancer.
He said obesity was a major risk factor in endometrial cancer.
Post menopausal women with any bleeding or spotting should immediately seek medical advice, to rule out uterine cancer.
Early presentation was important with all cancers.
Early surgery reduced complications and gave better quality of life.
Dr Sheean said he wanted feedback on the night and advice on the best topic for the next seminar.
“We are thinking about one on men’s or children’s health,” he said.
