Common Cancers Affecting Women
Becoming familiar with the common cancers which may affect you as a woman can help you prevent or discover them early. With all cancers, early detection is paramount in any recovery action or program.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer for women, but men can also be affected. Those who spend time in the sun are the most susceptible, but some skin cancers do not need sun exposure to begin or develop. Those with fair skin and blonde or red hair color develop this cancer at a much higher rate than those with dark coloring.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer risks are more prevalent and elevate as women age - although it can occur at any age - except for skin cancers it is the most common cancer that affects women.
Some women are more prone to developing breast cancer than others. Knowing your risk and what can be done about this diagnosis is very important. Knowing you are genetically predisposed will enable you to make proactive lifestyle choices to reduce your risk.
When breast cancer is discovered early, it's much easier to treat, with greater success rates. Early detection can be accomplished with annual breast cancer screening and mammograms and women 55 and older only need mammograms every two years.
Women at high risk for developing breast cancer because of genetic history or other factors should also have MRIs when they receive a mammogram. Be sure to report to you doctor if you notice any changes in how your breasts normally feel and look.
Uterine Cancer
Uterine cancer is another type of common cancer in women. It begins in the cells of the lining of the uterus and causative factors can include beginning periods at an early age and obesity. Vaginal bleeding after menopause or bleeding between periods may be symptoms of uterine cancer. If discovered early, uterine cancer may be treated with surgery to remove the uterus, but advanced stages may require radiation or chemotherapy.
Colon or Rectal Cancer
Colon or rectal cancers are common cancer which may affect women. Women who are 50 or older and who have a family history of colon cancer, or problems with polyps in the rectum or colon, or inflammatory bowel disease, are more likely to develop cancer of the colon.
Obesity, a diet high in fat, smoking and a lack of exercise are lifestyle issues which can increase the incidence of women developing colon cancer also.
Lung Cancer
Another common type of cancer which can strike women is lung cancer. Women who smoke are much more likely to develop lung cancer than those who don't, but all women are somewhat susceptible to this cancer. Of course, if you are breathing in other people's cigarette smoke, you are also putting yourself at risk, as second-hand smoke is very damaging to healthy pink lungs.
Cervical Cancer
It is believed that contact with HPV (human papilloma virus) is required to trigger cervical cancer, however contact does not mean that cancer will result.
A large range of factors which can increase the risk of developing cervical cancer have been identified. These include having sexual intercourse earlier in life, unprotected sex with numerous partners and obesity. It's also been stated that smokers are more at risk of developing cervical cancer than non-smokers.
Forewarned is Forearmed
Knowing the different types of cancers that can affect women helps you better understand what you need to be on the lookout for. Knowing your options and what you can do to prevent these types of women's cancers is your best line of defense.
Getting all the information you can and taking the steps to reduce the risks, can save your life.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer for women, but men can also be affected. Those who spend time in the sun are the most susceptible, but some skin cancers do not need sun exposure to begin or develop. Those with fair skin and blonde or red hair color develop this cancer at a much higher rate than those with dark coloring.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer risks are more prevalent and elevate as women age - although it can occur at any age - except for skin cancers it is the most common cancer that affects women.
Some women are more prone to developing breast cancer than others. Knowing your risk and what can be done about this diagnosis is very important. Knowing you are genetically predisposed will enable you to make proactive lifestyle choices to reduce your risk.
When breast cancer is discovered early, it's much easier to treat, with greater success rates. Early detection can be accomplished with annual breast cancer screening and mammograms and women 55 and older only need mammograms every two years.
Women at high risk for developing breast cancer because of genetic history or other factors should also have MRIs when they receive a mammogram. Be sure to report to you doctor if you notice any changes in how your breasts normally feel and look.
Uterine Cancer
Uterine cancer is another type of common cancer in women. It begins in the cells of the lining of the uterus and causative factors can include beginning periods at an early age and obesity. Vaginal bleeding after menopause or bleeding between periods may be symptoms of uterine cancer. If discovered early, uterine cancer may be treated with surgery to remove the uterus, but advanced stages may require radiation or chemotherapy.
Colon or Rectal Cancer
Colon or rectal cancers are common cancer which may affect women. Women who are 50 or older and who have a family history of colon cancer, or problems with polyps in the rectum or colon, or inflammatory bowel disease, are more likely to develop cancer of the colon.
Obesity, a diet high in fat, smoking and a lack of exercise are lifestyle issues which can increase the incidence of women developing colon cancer also.
Lung Cancer
Another common type of cancer which can strike women is lung cancer. Women who smoke are much more likely to develop lung cancer than those who don't, but all women are somewhat susceptible to this cancer. Of course, if you are breathing in other people's cigarette smoke, you are also putting yourself at risk, as second-hand smoke is very damaging to healthy pink lungs.
Cervical Cancer
It is believed that contact with HPV (human papilloma virus) is required to trigger cervical cancer, however contact does not mean that cancer will result.
A large range of factors which can increase the risk of developing cervical cancer have been identified. These include having sexual intercourse earlier in life, unprotected sex with numerous partners and obesity. It's also been stated that smokers are more at risk of developing cervical cancer than non-smokers.
Forewarned is Forearmed
Knowing the different types of cancers that can affect women helps you better understand what you need to be on the lookout for. Knowing your options and what you can do to prevent these types of women's cancers is your best line of defense.
Getting all the information you can and taking the steps to reduce the risks, can save your life.
Cancer - The Most Common Types Found in Women
Men and women are different on so many levels. That includes the types of cancers they can get. There are certain cancers only men get and there are certain cancers only women get. There are certain cancers which plague women more than men and vice versa. It's important to know which cancers you should be concerned about.
Cancers Only Women Get
This is probably pretty obvious. The cancers that only women get are gynecological cancers - which of course are cancers which start in places like the cervix, uterus, vagina, vulva, ovaries, and sometimes the fallopian tubes (very rare). It goes without saying that these cancers are only found in women because women are the only ones with these parts.
And while you might think only women get breast cancer, this is not the case. Men have breast tissue as well and can develop breast cancer. So the only cancers women get that men can't get are gynecological cancers of the reproductive organs.
Cancers That Are Most Prevalent in Women
There are some cancers which strike women very fiercely. The most common types of cancers that really affect women are breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, skin cancer, and ovarian cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer women get aside from skin cancer, but it's followed closely by lung cancer and then colorectal cancer.
However, breast cancer has a better survival rate amongst women than lung cancer does. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women who are white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Indian/Alaska Native women.
Lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women. The number one most fatal cancer for Hispanic women is breast cancer. And the third leading cause of cancer deaths among all women, no matter what nationality, is colorectal cancer.
Surely the great screening and early detection techniques we have to screen for breast cancer is why the survival rate is higher. Caucasian women have the best survival chance when it comes to breast cancer. African-American women and Hispanic women are at a greater risk of succumbing to breast cancer than Caucasian women.
Low income families are more at risk from breast cancer. This likely has to do with the limited access they might have to screenings like mammograms. This is why it's so important to support breast cancer non-profits. With the survival rate increasing exponentially with early detection, providing necessary early screenings to low income family is of the utmost importance.
Across the board (male or female), lung cancer remains the top killing cancer amongst patients. Oddly enough it's the easiest to prevent getting. It is estimated that 87%-90% of all lung cancer deaths are related to smoking. It seems simply enough - if you stop smoking, you decrease your chances of dying from lung cancer.
Because lung cancer doesn't have a reliable early detection test like breast cancer does, it's hard to diagnose early. This is why more people die of lung cancer; once you begin showing signs you are already so far into the progression of the disease that saving you from lung cancer is much more difficult.
Finally colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women. This appears to be on the decline, though. With better testing, polyps are being found and diagnosed early, leading to earlier treatment. Plus the treatment for colorectal cancer has improved, so the survival rate from this type of cancer is on the rise.
These are the kind of cancers that plague women the most and what you have to watch out for. Remember, early detection is key in increasing your survival rate. So don't blow off that mammogram or colonoscopy. A few minutes of discomfort just might save your life.
Cancers Only Women Get
This is probably pretty obvious. The cancers that only women get are gynecological cancers - which of course are cancers which start in places like the cervix, uterus, vagina, vulva, ovaries, and sometimes the fallopian tubes (very rare). It goes without saying that these cancers are only found in women because women are the only ones with these parts.
And while you might think only women get breast cancer, this is not the case. Men have breast tissue as well and can develop breast cancer. So the only cancers women get that men can't get are gynecological cancers of the reproductive organs.
Cancers That Are Most Prevalent in Women
There are some cancers which strike women very fiercely. The most common types of cancers that really affect women are breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, skin cancer, and ovarian cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer women get aside from skin cancer, but it's followed closely by lung cancer and then colorectal cancer.
However, breast cancer has a better survival rate amongst women than lung cancer does. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women who are white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Indian/Alaska Native women.
Lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women. The number one most fatal cancer for Hispanic women is breast cancer. And the third leading cause of cancer deaths among all women, no matter what nationality, is colorectal cancer.
Surely the great screening and early detection techniques we have to screen for breast cancer is why the survival rate is higher. Caucasian women have the best survival chance when it comes to breast cancer. African-American women and Hispanic women are at a greater risk of succumbing to breast cancer than Caucasian women.
Low income families are more at risk from breast cancer. This likely has to do with the limited access they might have to screenings like mammograms. This is why it's so important to support breast cancer non-profits. With the survival rate increasing exponentially with early detection, providing necessary early screenings to low income family is of the utmost importance.
Across the board (male or female), lung cancer remains the top killing cancer amongst patients. Oddly enough it's the easiest to prevent getting. It is estimated that 87%-90% of all lung cancer deaths are related to smoking. It seems simply enough - if you stop smoking, you decrease your chances of dying from lung cancer.
Because lung cancer doesn't have a reliable early detection test like breast cancer does, it's hard to diagnose early. This is why more people die of lung cancer; once you begin showing signs you are already so far into the progression of the disease that saving you from lung cancer is much more difficult.
Finally colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women. This appears to be on the decline, though. With better testing, polyps are being found and diagnosed early, leading to earlier treatment. Plus the treatment for colorectal cancer has improved, so the survival rate from this type of cancer is on the rise.
These are the kind of cancers that plague women the most and what you have to watch out for. Remember, early detection is key in increasing your survival rate. So don't blow off that mammogram or colonoscopy. A few minutes of discomfort just might save your life.