What Women Should Know About Cancer

7/31/2019 What Women Should Know About Cancer

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Protect & Detect:W Wm KWb r


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A Message Fromichard . Waldman, , Pridnt, Th Amrican ll ottrician and gnclit

Dr. Waldman is chair of the ob-gyn department at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY,

president of the Associates for Women's Medicine, and clinical associate professor of ob-gyn at Upstate

Medical Center, the State University of New York.

Too many women are dying from cancer. Today, cancer is the second

leading killer of women in the USin 2010 an estimated 270,290 women

will die and nearly 740,000 women will be diagnosed with cancer.

It is not surprising that cancer is one of the biggest health fears for women. Sometimes this fear

can be so overwhelming that women forego screening tests that can detect cancer early, when it

is most curable.

The causes of cancer are complex. We know that having a family history of cancer is a risk factor.

But most cancers occur in people with no family history of the disease at all, so those without a

family history of cancer cannot assume that they arent at risk. Also complicating matters is the

fact that the disease can occur without symptoms. And even if symptoms are present, they can be

mistaken for a harmless health condition or they may not appear until the disease is more advanced.

While it may seem as if we have no control over cancer, there are steps a woman can take to

reduce her risk. Consider this: As many as half of all cancer deaths could be prevented if people

practiced simple, healthy lifestyle habitssuch as not smoking, eating well, and exercisingand

got recommended health screenings. This special cancer guide will help you take charge of and

protect your health.

OB-GYNS are dedicated to improving womens health, and we are deeply concerned about the

state of womens cancers. Our specialty recognizes the benets of prevention and early detection

eorts, and we want to share this vital message with you. Use this guide with your OB-GYN. Read

it and ask questions. Your OB-GYN is your partner in helping you stay healthy!

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is the nation's leading group of physicians

providing health care for women. As a private, voluntary, nonprot membership organization of

approximately 53,000 members, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strongly

advocates for quality health care for women, maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and

continuing education of its members, promotes patient education, and increases awareness among its

members and the public of the changing issues facing women's health care.

CarolynFosterPhotograPhy


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IntroductionIf you are like most women, when it comes to your health, cancer ranks high on

your list of concerns. But few women have a true sense of their risk of developingcancer or the steps they can take to reduce that risk. For instance, while most of us

are aware that more women in the US are diagnosed with breast cancer than any

other kind of cancer each year, few are aware that more women die of lung cancer

than breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers combined.

Whats more, most women dont realize that the one doctor they see on a regular basis, their OB-GYN, can talk

with them about appropriate screenings for all types of cancer. Some screening tests, like those for cervical and

colorectal cancer, can even nd changes before they ever turn into cancer. Your OB-GYN can also guide you intalking about what lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of developing cancer and alert you to the

important warning signs of cancer.

Did you know that early detection of cancer increases your chances of successful treatment? There

are several dierent tests available to you to detect the presence of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. If

cervical, colorectal, or uterine cancer is detected early, your chances of beating it can be as high as 90%. Similarly,

the ve-year survival rate today for women with localized breast cancer is 97%. In the 1940s, only 72% of women

diagnosed with breast cancer survived for ve years.

Currently, there are no screening tests available to help detect lung, ovarian, and uterine cancers early. As a result,its vitally important to pay close attention to how your body feels and looks, have regular yearly check-ups with

your OB-GYN, and talk with your doctor about any changes that concern you.

Its also true that leading a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of cancer. In fact, certain female reproductive

cancers share the same risk factors. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends

that women focus on living a healthy lifestylelose excess weight, dont smoke, practice safe sex, and get daily

exercise.

Protect & Detect: What Women Should Know About Cancer is a guide developed by The American College of

Ob-Gyns to encourage you, in partnership with your OB-GYN, to take charge of your health and gain an accurateunderstanding of your risk of developing cancer and the lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk. The

American College of Ob-Gyns urges women to plan for the appropriate screenings at the right ages and to be

aware of the physical warning signs of cancer.



*What you should know about

brat cancr is the second leading cause of cance death aong woen in the .

ne out of evey eight woen will develop east cance in he lifetie.

Corbis



BrEaST cancErWhat is Breast Cancer?beast cance usually egins as a lup o sall foation of cells in the east, typically in the loes o ducts of the east.

ieent types of east cance gow at dieent ates.

Who is Most at Risk?Woen who cay a utation in the br1 o br2 gene

Woen with a faily histoy of east cance, especially othe, daughte, o siste

Woen ove age 65

Woen who went though puety ealy (efoe age 12) o expeienced a late enopause (afte 55)

hose who have not had childen o had thei st child afte age 30

Woen who ae oese

How Can I Prevent Breast Cancer?xecise egulaly

ontol you weight

at a alanced, nutitious diet

iit you alcohol intake

iscuss with you docto the use of cheopevention edications, such as

taoxifen and aloxifene, and whethe hoone theapy ay incease you isk

Woen with a signicant isk of developing heeditay east and ovaian

cance ay e advised to use oal contaceptives

What Should I Know about Screening for Breast Cancer?It is important that you do breast self-exams and have aphysician examine your breasts annually. Mammogramsare the gold standard for detecting breast cancer and arerecommended every year or two for women in their 40sand annually for women age 50 or older.

If a aoga nds an anoality, agnetic esonance iaging (mrI) o ultasound aye used fo futhe evaluation. mrI also ay e ecoended fo woen with cetain isk

factos. iopsy will deteine if you have cance.

Fo woen who cay the br1 o br2 gene utation, soe cance expets ecoend

annual o seiannual clinical east exainations, along with annual aogaphy,

eginning at age 25 35 yeas.

What are the Warning Signsof Possible Breast Cancer? lup in the east

ipling of the easthanges in the skin on the east

pontaneous nipple dischage

How is Breast Cancer Treated?beast cance is teated with a coination of sugey,

cheotheapy, adiation, and/o othe dugs such as

heceptin, taoxifen, and aoatase inhiitos.

What if I Have a Strong Family History of Breast Cancer?Genetic testing ay e advised fo woen who have a stong faily histoy of east and/o ovaian cance o who cay

a br gene utation. Genetic counseling with a tained health cae pofessional will help you undestand the isks and

enets of the test and if its ight fo you.

If you have a br gene utation a cance specialist can help you decide if peventive easues, such as a astectoy

(eoval of the east) o oophoectoy (eoval of the ovaies), will educe you isk of east cance.

*



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rvical cancr is one of the ost coon cances in woen thoughout the wold, ut has

ecoe less coon in counties whee woen outinely get Pap tests. oday, one in 145 woen in the

will develop cevical cance in he lifetie.



cErvical cancErWhat is Cervical Cancer?lost all cevical cances ae linked to a coon infection in the cevix called huan papilloavius (PV). f the oe than 100

types of PV, any ae enign, ut soe ae linked to cance of the ce vix.

Who is Most at Risk?You isk fo cevical cance depends on you sexual histoy, you iune syste, you health, and

you lifestyle. hose at highest isk of developing cance of the cevix include:

Woen with cetain stains of PV

Woen ove age 30. While it can occu in younge woen, cevical cance aely occus in

woen younge than age 21

Woen who soke ae aout twice as likely as nonsokes to develop cevical cance

Woen who have poles with thei iune syste

Woen with the huan iunodeciency vius (IV) infection

Woen who wee exposed to diethylstilestol () efoe ith

Woen with a pevious pecance of the cevix

How Can I Prevent CervicalCancer?Get egula Pap teststhey can detect cevical

changes efoe they ecoe canceous

Gils and woen ages 9 26 should get the

PV vaccine. he eican ollege of -Gyns

ecoends the PV vaccine e outinely given

to all gils ages 11 12; howeve, it can e given

to gils as young as 9

be onogaous and pactice safe sex

ont soke

What are theWarning Signs ofPossible CervicalCancer?Pecance and cance of the cevix

often have no syptos; howeve,

soe of the waning signs include:

noal vaginal leeding

potting o dischagebleeding afte sex

igns of advanced cance include

pain, poles uinating, and

swollen legs

What Should I Know aboutScreening for Cervical Cancer?he Pap test is the est way to detect anoal cells on the

cevix. he eican ollege of -Gyns ecoends that all

woen should have thei fist Pap test eginning at age 21

Woen etween the ages of 21 29 need a Pap test evey

two yeas, using eithe the standad ethod o liquid-ased

cytology

ow-isk woen ages 30 64 who have had thee

consecutive noal Pap tests can e sceened evey thee

yeas. nothe option includes coining a Pap test with anPV test (evey thee yeas if oth ae noal) to see if

you have a high isk type of the vius

ow-isk woen ages 65 and olde, who have had thee

o oe noal Pap tests within the last 10 yeas, can

discontinue Pap testing unless they have isk factos fo

sexually tansitted diseases

lightly anoal Pap esults ay e followed up y an

PV test, a epeat Pap test, o colposcopy, which uses a

agnifying instuent to view and iopsy anoal cells.

Pap tests that ae oe anoal equie colposcopy

many woen who have had a hysteectoy ay e ale

to discontinue outine Pap testing. Pap testing can ediscontinued if the sugey eoved the cevix and was

done fo easons othe than cance o pecanceous changes.

Woen who had pecanceous changes efoe thei

hysteectoy should continue with outine sceening

How is Cervical Cancer Treated?Pecances can e eoved with a P iopsy (loop electosugical excision pocedue), which uses an electied loop of

wie to eove cells, cyotheapy (which feezes the cells), lase theapy (which vapoizes the cells), o a cone iopsy (in

which a cone shaped wedge is eoved fo the cevix)

evical cance ay equie a adical hysteectoy and adiation with o without cheotheapy. When found ealy, the cueate is oe than 90%

*




lrctal cancr is the o. 2 cance kille of adults in the and the thid leading cause

of cance death aong woen in the , ehind lung and east cances. ach yea, coloectal

cance takes the lives of nealy 25,000 woennealy twice as any as ovaian, cevical, and

uteine cances coined. ne in 20 woen will develop coloectal cance in he lifetie.



colorEcTal cancErWhat is Colorectal Cancer?oloectal cance (often efeed to as colon cance) is a slow-gowing cance that aects the cells in the colon and ectu

and can spead to othe pats of the ody. Its exact causes ae unknown.

Who is Most at Risk?he isk of developing coloectal cance inceases with age. out 9 out of 10 people with coloectal cance ae oldethan 50. esity is also a ajo isk facto.

Woen with the following isk factos should egin sceening efoe age 50:

Pesonal o faily histoy of colon polyps o coloectal cance

Pesonal histoy of inaatoy owel disease, such as ulceative colitis o ohns disease

Faily histoy of coloectal cance syndoes

he eican ollege of Gastoenteology ecoends that fican eicans egin sceening at age 45

What Should I Know aboutScreening for Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer can be stopped beforeit starts if precancerous polyps arefound and removed.

ceening allows the detection of ealy colon cance,

when it is highly cuale. he eican ollege of

-Gyns ecoends the following coloectal cance

sceening options fo woen age 50 and olde:

Prrrd mthd

olonoscopy evey 10 yeas

othr apprpriat mthd

Yealy patient-collected fecal occult lood test (Fb)

o fecal iunocheical test (FI) o

Flexile sigoidoscopy evey five yeas o

oule-contast aiu enea evey five yeas o

colonogaphy (vitual colonoscopy) evey five

yeas o

tool testingit is not known how often this

test is needed

If anoalities ae found with these tests, diagnostic

colonoscopy will e necessay. iopsy will deteine

if you have cance.

What are the Warning

Signs of Possible ColonCancer?oloectal cance ay have no

syptosyou can look healthy and

feel healthy and not know thee is a

pole; theefoe, he eican ollege

of -Gyns uges you not to wait. Get

sceened efoe syptos appea. s

coloectal cance pogesses, a woan

ay expeience the following syptos:

pesistent change in owel haits,

such as naowing of the stool

bleeding fo the ectu o lood in

the stool

aping pain in the adoen

nexplained weight loss

Fatigue

Is My OB-GYN the Right Person to Talk to aboutColon Cancer?Fo any woen, an b-GY is the only physician they see on a egula asis. You

b-GY can povide counseling and appopiate sceening ecoendations, including

when to egin sceening and the enets, liitations, and fequency of the dieent

testing options.

How Can I PreventColon Cancer?ontol you weight

xecise egulalytop soking

iit you alcohol intake

How is Colon Cancer Treated?ugey is the ost coon teatent fo coloectal cance.

heotheapy o adiation theapy also ay e used. *




un cancr is the leading cause of cance death in oth woen and en in

the . ne in 16 woen will develop lung cance in he lifetie. his yea alone,

it is estiated that nealy 106,000 woen will e diagnosed with lung cance; it

will kill ove 71,000 woen.


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lung cancEr

Who is Most at Risk?Woen who soke ae 12 ties oe likely to get lung cance than woen who have neve soked

Woen ae oe susceptile to lung cance than en

econdhand soke also inceases you isk of lung cance

moe nonsoking woen ae getting the disease than eve efoe: out 1 in 5 woen who gets

lung cance neve soked

How Can I Prevent Lung Cancer?he est way to potect youself fo lung cance is not

to soke. he eican ollege of -Gyns uges woen

who soke to seek advice on how to stop. In addition,

sokes who quit can stop o evese the daage caused

y cigaettes. eat attack isk deceases y 50% within the

st yea afte quitting, and the chances of developing lung

cance, heat disease, and othe ailents fall to nealy that

of a nonsoke in the st few yeas.

What are the Warning Signs ofPossible Lung Cancer?Waning signs of lung cance often dont appea until the

cance has spead:

pesistent cough

Phleg steaked with lood

hest pain

repeat outs of pneuonia o onchitis

oaseness

Weight loss and loss of appetite

hotness of eath o wheezing

What Should I Knowabout Screening forLung Cancer?There are currently norecommended routinescreenings for lung cancer.Those that do exist havenot been shown to be

eective. Many tests areused to diagnose lungcancer, including bloodtests, imaging tests, andbiopsies.

Is My OB-GYN the Right Person to Talk to about Lung Cancer?Fo any woen, an b-GY is the only physician they see on a egula asis. You bGY can efe you

to soking cessation pogas that can help you quit and can povide lifestyle ecoendations that

can decease you isk of developing lung cance. You docto also ay pescie nicotine eplaceentpoducts and/o edications that can doule you chances of quitting.

What is Lung Cancer?ances that egin in the lungs, usually in the cells lining ai passages, ae divided into two ain typesnon-sall cell

lung cance and sall cell lung cance, depending on how the cells look unde a icoscope.

Did You Know? woan who sokes cigaettes shotens he life y 14.5 yeas

econdhand soke is esponsile fo an estiated 3,000 lung cance deaths aong

nonsokes each yeaoking can ha a woans epoductive health. Woen who soke ae at inceased

isk of having fetility poles, pegnancy-elated coplications, cevical cance,

incontinence, and ealie enopause

oking duing pegnancy is associated with pete ith, low ith weight, and

sudden infant death syndoe

How is LungCancer Treated?eatent depends ainly on

the type of lung cance and its

stage. ptions include sugey,cheotheapy, adiation

theapy, o a coination of

these; they often do not cue

the cance.

*


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out 3% of all new cances found in woen ae ovaian cances. ne in 71 woen will

develop varian cancr duing he lifetie. because its syptos ae so vague, ovaian

cance often isnt found until the late stage, afte the cance has spead.



ovarian cancErWhat is Ovarian Cancer?hee ae thee types of ovaian cance:

Epithelial is the ost coon fo of ovaian cance (85% to 90% ae this type);

these ae the cells that cove the suface of the ovaies

Germ cell tumors fo on the cells in the ovay that develop into eggs

Sex cord-stromal tumors occu in the connective tissue inside the ovay

How Can I Prevent Ovarian Cancer?reducing the nue of ovulations you have in you lifetie educes you isk fo

ovaian cance. heefoe, pegnancy and eastfeeding ay have potective eects

sing oal contaceptives ay educe you isk fo ovaian cance and ay e

ecoended fo woen who ae at high isk fo developing heeditay east and

ovaian cance

If you have a br gene utation a cance specialist can help you decide if peventive

easues, such as sugey to eove the ovaies, ae ight fo you

lso, e alet to changes in you ody and ing the to you doctos attention

What are the Warning Signs of PossibleOvarian Cancer?yptos of ovaian cance often appea to e haless

gastointestinal and adoinal poles. If you have the

following syptos on an ongoing asis, see you docto fo an

evaluation:

nexplained loating

Pelvic o adoinal pain

back pain

Inceased adoinal size

iculty eating

nexplained weight loss

inay incontinence

Fequent uination

onstipation

Fatigue

Indigestion

How is Ovarian CancerTreated?ugey is used to eove the cance, often

followed y cheotheapy o adiation.

Woen whose cance is teated efoe

it has spead have a 90% chance of

living ve yeas o oe afte teatent.nfotunately, only 19% of woen with

ovaian cance ae diagnosed at this stage.

Who is Most at Risk?Woen with a faily histoy of east, endoetial, ovaian, o coloectal cances,

o who cay a utation in the br1 o br2 genes

Woen etween ages 50 and 75

Woen who ae oese

Woen who have neve had childen o who wee pegnant afte age 30

Woen who expeience late enopause (afte age 55)

Woen who have neve used ith contol pills

*

What Should I Know about Screening for Ovarian Cancer?While there is no routine screening for ovarian cancer, for thosewho experience symptoms, have a family history, or who have aBRCA gene mutation, a pelvic exam, a CA 125 blood test, and anultrasound are used for evaluation. Surgery is used to diagnoseovarian cancer.



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Utrin cancr is the ost coon gynecologic cance in the . out 2 o 3 woen

in 100 will develop endoetial cance (the oe coon of the two fos of uteine

cance) in thei lifetie.



uTErinE cancErWhat is Uterine Cancer?hee ae two types of uteine cance:

Endometrial the oe coon fo of uteine cance; it occus when the lining of the uteus ecoes too thick

Sarcomas tuos that fo fo uscle o othe tissue; it is oe aggessive than endoetial cance and has dieent syptos

Who is Most at Risk?Woen who have taken unopposed estogen (estogen without pogestin)

Postenopausal woen who have taken taoxifen

Woen who have neve given ith

Woen who ae oese

Woen who have passed enopause, paticulaly fo age 65 to 70; it is ae aong

woen younge than 40

Woen who ae infetile o have enstual poles such as iegula ovulation o

fequently issed peiods

Woen who went though puety ealy (efoe age 12) o enopause late (afte age 55)

Woen who have polycystic ovay syndoe, diaetes, endoetial hypeplasia, o who

have had cance of the ovay, east, o colonWoen with a faily histoy of uteine cance

How Can I Prevent Uterine Cancer?he eican ollege of -Gyns ecoends taking the following

pecautions to help pevent uteine cance:

void polonged exposue to unopposed estogen (estogen

without pogestin)

se of oal contaceptives ay educe you isk

ose excess weight

Get a yealy pelvic exa

What Should I Know aboutScreening for Uterine Cancer?There is no routine screening foruterine cancer, so its crucial tobe alert to early symptoms.

What are the Warning Signs of PossibleUterine Cancer?nusual vaginal leeding

potting o dischage

eavy enstual leeding

Postenopausal leeding o spotting

yptos that coe and go

noal leeding o dischage, especially afte enopause

How is Uterine CancerDiagnosed?ndoetial cance can e diagnosed only y

exaining tissue fo the uteus: most woen

with endoetial cance have noal Pap test

esults

hee ae vaious ethods fo exaining theuteine tissue, including:

Endometrial biopsy: a test in which a

sall aount of the tissue lining the uteus is

eoved and exained unde a icoscope

Vaginal ultrasound: a test in which

sound waves ae used to check the thickness of

the lining of the uteus

Hysteroscopy: a sugical pocedue in

which a slende, light-tansitting device is

used to view the inside of the uteus o pefo

sugey

Dilation and curettage (D&C):a pocedue in which the cevix is opened and

tissue is gently scaped o suctioned fo the

inside of the uteus

How is Uterine Cancer Treated?ugey is done to teat the disease and decide if futhe teatent is needed

most patients have oth a hysteectoy and eoval of the ovaies and fallopian tues, known as salpingo-oophoectoy,

ecause woen with uteine cance have an inceased isk of ovaian cance

oe cases ay also equie adiation; in ae cases, cheotheapy is used

eatent with pogestin ay e tied in woen who want to peseve thei fetility o who ae not candidates fo sugey

*



Easy ReferenceAe seeg eTos A eoeATos*

The annual well-woman visit is very important for preventive health care. All women 21 or older need annual gynecologic exams,

including a pelvic exam.

Ae PeeTo beAos To UeTAke

Type of CanCer prevenTion aCTiviTies

Breast Cancer Exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet

Control your weight

Limit your alcohol intake

Discuss with your doctor the use of tamoxifen and raloxifene and whetherhormone therapy may increase your risk

Cervical Cancer Get regular Pap tests

Girls and women ages 9 26 should get the HPV vaccine

Be monogamous and practice safe sex

Stop smoking

Colorectal Cancer Undertake colonoscopies starting at age 50 (earlier if you have risk factors)

Control your weight

Exercise regularly

Stop smoking

Limit your alcohol intake

Lung Cancer Stop smoking

Limit your exposure to secondhand smoke

Ovarian Cancer Be aware of symptoms

Consider using oral contraceptives

Pregnancy and breastfeeding may also have protective eects

Uterine/Endometrial Cancer Avoid prolonged exposure to unopposed estrogen (estrogen without

progestin)

Consider using oral contraceptives

Control your weight Get a yearly pelvic exam

if you are you should To deTeCT: frequenCyage: sChedule a: reCommendaTion:

19+ Breast Exam Breast Cancer Yearly

2129 Pap Test Cervical Cancer Every 2 years if Pap tests havebeen normal

30+ Pap Test Cervical Cancer Every 3 years if Pap tests havebeen normal

40 49 Mammography Breast Cancer Every 1 2 years

50+ Mammography Breast Cancer Yearly

50+ Colonoscopy Colorectal Cancer Every 10 years

* There are no screening tests available to detect lung, ovarian, or uterine cancer, so its important to be aware of the warning signs and see your doctor if you

experience them. Warning signs for each cancer are listed on previous fact sheet pages.

If you have a family history of breast or colon cancer, your doctor may recommend starting screening earlier and continuing screening more frequently.

Other options for colorectal cancer screening are available, but they need to be done more often.



Your Personal Cancer Risk AssessmentFollowing is a list of questions important for women to consider throughout the stages of their lives.

Use this information to help launch meaningful discussions with your doctor at your next OB-GYN visit.

F D PES HS

Have you ever been diagnosed with any type

of cancer?

Have you ever been diagnosed with benign breastdisease that resulted in a breast biopsy?

Do you have a family history of cancer in a rst-degree

blood relative (mother, sister, daughter, or father)?

Do you have any other relatives with a history of

breast, ovarian, endometrial, or colorectal cancer?

E DEEC D SCEEG

Do you perform breast self-exams?

If you are 40 49, did you get a mammogram in the

past two years? Or in the past year, if you are over 50?

Are you getting regular Pap tests?

Did you have a pelvic exam in the past year?

CCE SCESG FCS

Have you ever had an abnormal Pap test?

Have you ever been diagnosed with human

papillomavirus (HPV)?

Do you smoke?

Have you taken tamoxifen postmenopause?

Do you carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes?

Did you experience a late menopause

(after age 55)?

Have you ever had ulcerative colitis or

Crohns disease?

Do you usually drink more than one alcoholic drink

per day?

CCE SEDCG FCS

Do you have regular periods?

Did you get your rst period after age 12?

Do you practice safe sex?

Do you take birth control pills?

Have you given birth? If so, was your rst pregnancy

before age 30?

Do you eat fruits or vegetables often?

Do you exercise regularly?



GlossaryArmata nhiitr: A class of drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

bip:Removal of a small piece of tissue that is then examined under a microscope in a laboratory.

bA1 and bA2: Genes that increase your risk of breast cancer and certain other types of cancer.

A 125: A protein in the blood that may be a sign of ovarian cancer.

lncp: An exam of the entire colon using a small, lighted instrument.

lpcp: Viewing of the cervix, vulva, or vagina with magnication using an instrument called a colposcope.

T lnraph: A method to examine the inside of the colon by taking a series of X-rays.

ul-ntrat barium enma Tt: A test during which a special solution and air are injected into thecolon and X-ray images are taken to check for abnormalities in the colon.

endmtrial prplaia: A condition that occurs when the lining of the uterus grows too much.

etrn: A female hormone produced in the ovaries that stimulates the growth of the lining of the uterus.

fcal occult bld Tt (fobT) or fcal mmunchmical Tt (fT): Two similar tests fordetecting blood in stool samples, which could be a sign of cancer of the colon or rectum.

flxil simidcp: A test in which a slender device is placed into the rectum and lower colon to lookfor cancer.

gntic Ttin: An analysis of DNA to look for a genetic alteration that may indicate an increased risk fordeveloping a specic disease.

Additional Cancer ResourcesThe American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. . . . . www.acog.org

National Cancer Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.cancer.gov

American Cancer Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.cancer.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.cdc.gov/cancer



rcptin: A targeted drugtreatment for certain types of breast

cancer.

rmn Thrap:Treatment inwhich estrogen, and often progestin,

is taken to help relieve some of the

symptoms of menopause caused by

low levels of hormones produced by the

body.

uman Papillmaviru(P): A group of related viruses,some of which are linked to cervical

changes and cervical cancer.

uman Papillmaviru (P) accin:There are two vaccines that protect against cervical cancer andprecancerous changes. One of these vaccines also protects against genital warts.

trctm: Removal of the uterus.

antic nanc main (): A procedure that uses a strong magnetic eld to view internal organs andstructures of the body.

ammraph: A procedure in which X-rays of the breast are used to detect breast cancer.

oral ntracptiv (th Pill): Birth control pills containing hormones that prevent ovulation and thus pregnancy.

Pap Tt: A test in which cells are taken from the cervix and examined under a microscope.

Plvic exam: An examination of the abdomen, cervix, ovaries, pelvis, uterus, vagina, and often the rectum.

Prtrn: A female hormone that is produced in the ovaries and makes the lining of the uterus grow. When thelevel of progesterone decreases, menstruation occurs.

alxin: A type of selective estrogen receptor modulator that helps strengthen the tissues of the bones and canbe used to prevent breast cancer.

stl A Tt: A test that looks for certain abnormal sections of DNA (genetic material) from cancer or polyp cells.

Tamxin: A synthetic estrogen pill used to prevent or treat breast cancer.

Ultraund: A procedure that uses sound waves to create pictures of the inside of body organs or tissues.


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ConclusionThe American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists urges women to take

charge of their health. Its important to know that there is a great deal you can do

to prevent and detect cancer early, which will have a lasting impact on your life

and on your family. Make sure you visit your OB-GYN for an annual exam and the

screenings appropriate for your age. Be sure to discuss your family history, your

specic risk of developing cancer, and the lifestyle changes that you may be able

to make to reduce that risk. Also, know your body and be alert for any changes that

may be warning signs.

The American College of Ob-Gyns recommends that this guide be used both to deliver the facts

about cancer to women and as a vehicle for building a strong partnership with your OB-GYN. Bring

this guide with you as a reference to your doctors appointment and work together to prevent and

detect cancer. Be informed, be healthy.

Mediabakery

Documents

What Women Should Know About Cancer