Facing invasive treatments for Uterine Fibroids, Black Women Advocate for Better Care
Dr. Octavia Cannon, past president of the American College of Osteopathic OBGYNs, specializes in treating uterine fibroids with support for those who do not want to undergo a hysterectomy. "Some people want to keep the parts that God gave them," she says.
That was the case for Omari. Luckily, thanks to her friends, she had an alternate view from her doctor's recommendation. A friend referred her to a "very respectful, thoughtful" surgeon who specialized in minimally invasive treatments. After explaining Omari's options for preserving her fertility, the surgeon removed her fibroids with "no complications."
Early detection, individualized care
Patients often come in to Cannon's practice complaining about heavy bleeding and painful cramping.
"They sometimes say they feel this mass in their belly," she explains. "They've been working out and trying to get their abdomen to be flatter, but they can't seem to make it, and they don't know why."
Many have already seen doctors who recommended a hysterectomy but didn't offer much education about the condition. So although less than 1% of uterine fibroids are cancerous, patients may worry about the word "tumor."
"All the doctor has to say is that you have tumors, and immediately, if you don't know, you're going to think it's cancer," Cannon says. That misunderstanding makes women more likely to agree to a hysterectomy, whether they've had children or not, she adds.
Cannon pays close attention to each patient's appearance and asks lots of questions to get a detailed medical history. That approach is critical, Cannon notes, because early detection of fibroids makes non-surgical treatment more feasible. Clinicians base recommendations on the number, size, type, and location of the fibroids, in addition to the severity of symptoms and the patients' fertility intentions.
While a hysterectomy may be the proper treatment for certain patients, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new medication to treat heavy bleeding related to fibroids, and there are other advances in the field making it possible to shrink the growths.
"There's so much that can be done now to help women who have fibroids keep their uterus," Cannon says.
- AKILAH WISE
