Dr. William Kutteh was interviewed in Memphis Health + Fitness magazine’s October 2013 cover feature, which focused on cancer in an article called “Real Steel: One Woman’s Story.” In the cover feature, Dr. Kutteh discusses ovarian cancer warning signs and risks with local writer Robin Beaudoin.
Dr. Kutteh said one in 72 women will develop ovarian cancer in her lifetime. It is the tenth most common cancer in women, fifth leading cause of cancer death in women, and the first cause of reproductive cancer deaths in women.
“We have known for many years that anything that reduces ovulation in women (birth control pills, pregnancy, breast feeding) has a protective effect on the risk of developing ovarian cancer,” he said. “It now appears that many ovarian cancers are actually caused by abnormal fallopian tube cells that have had DNA damage and turn into malignant cells. Women who have had a tubal ligation (and better still, tubal removal) also have a reduced risk for ovarian cancer.”
Dr. Kutteh’s own research with ovarian cancer started when he was at Duke University performing post-graduate work with the departments of Gynecologic Oncology and Immunology looking for tumor-specific antigens. He continued his research into ovarian cancer at Wake Forest University.
Dr. Kutteh added that every reproductive woman with cancer should be offered the opportunity for oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing). Fertility Associates of Memphis has partnered with Fertile Hope, an organization developed to assist patients with fertility preservation, for more than 10 years. Fertility Associates of Memphis has worked with St. Jude cancer patients and fertility preservation for more than 15 years.
To read the entire article from Memphis Health + Fitness, visit the link below and scroll to page 26:
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