The center, which focuses on furthering education and research about cancer, hopes the event will raise awareness among faculty, staff and students about ovarian cancer.
“The main reason we’re talking about ovarian cancer is because it is the deadliest female cancer,” Suzy Lockwood, associate professor of nursing and director of the TCU Oncology Education and Research Center, said.
September is also Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
Ovarian cancer is defined by the National Cancer Institute as cancer that forms in tissues of the ovary. In 2012 alone, it is estimated that approximately 15,500 women will die from ovarian cancer, according to statistics on the Institute's website.
According to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition's website, most cases are diagnosed in later stages when the prognosis is poor.
Representatives from the NOCC will also attend the luncheon to share recent news and statistics about ovarian cancer, according to an announcement on the university's human resources website.
The signs, symptoms, treatments and statistics of ovarian cancer will be discussed at the luncheon, Lockwood said.
In regard to ovarian cancer, awareness and early detection of symptoms are viewed as critical because there is no reliable, widely accepted test that detects the cancer, according to the NOCC’s website.
Lockwood said the center sponsors awareness events for other types of cancer, such as breast, lung and colon cancer. The center, which is part of the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences, also participates in other cancer outreach events such as walks and runs for cancer research.
The center runs a program that trains nursing students to be more aware of what it means to be an oncology nurse, Lockwood said.
The luncheon will take place Wednesday between noon and 1 p.m. in the Tucker Technology Center, Room 139.
