Women’s Cancer Risk Factors and Warning Signs

Found on Fran Drescher’s site Cancer Schmancer

ADNEXAL MASS RISK FACTORS & WARNING SIGNS

Did you know?
Adnexal mass refers to a mass that has grown in the uterine adnexa, which includes the tube and ovary. Adnexal masses are found in women of all ages - from fetuses to the elderly. They are most likely to be malignant in girls younger than 15. Usually these masses are functional cysts that disappear on their own and need no treatment. The chance of a woman developing a malignant adnexal mass is approximately 1.5 percent over the course of her lifetime.

What should you look for?
See a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist and are unusual for you:

• Pelvic pain
  
• Irregular menstrual periods
  
• Pressure on the bladder or rectum
  
• An increase in the frequency of urination or constipation.
  
• Adnexal mass may twist, cutting off the blood supply to the ovary, causing sudden severe pain (called an ovarian torsion)
  
• Many women produce no symptoms at all and adnexal mass may be found by the gynecologist during a routine exam
  

Take control of your body! Most women with small adnexal masses will have no symptoms at all, so it is important to visit your doctor for routine exams. To determine the cause of any symptoms, a doctor can perform a physical exam or perform a pelvic exam (a doctor usually finds adnexal masses during a pelvic exam). Another test that can dectect adnexal mass is an ultrasonography where the doctor will order a pelvic sonogram (ultrasound).

This information was provided by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and its Women’s Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).

BREAST CANCER RISK FACTORS & WARNING SIGNS

Did you know?
Simply being a woman is a major risk factor for developing breast cancer. Breast cancer can affect men, but it is about 100 times more common in women. One in eight women in the United States will get breast cancer in her lifetime. This year about 211,240 women in the United States will be told they have breast cancer. About 1,690 men will. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. A woman’s risk of developing breast cancer increases as she gets older. The majority of new cases are in women age 50 and older. Having a mammography can find breast cancer at an early stage usually before symptoms occur. Many studies have shown that early detection saves lives. Plus, it increases the options for treatment.

What should you look for?
See a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist and are unusual for you:

• A painless lump or thickening in the breast. The most common area to find a mass is the upper, outer quadrant of the breast
  
• Bleeding from the nipple
  
• Unexplained weight loss or gain
  
• Thickening or puckering of the skin over the breast
  
• A change in the size or shape of your breast
  
• Nipple discharge, tenderness, or inversion, meaning the nipple pulls back into your breast
  
• A change in the way the skin of your breast, areola, or nipple looks or feels. (For example, the skin may look like the skin of an orange.)
  

You should learn the early warning signs of cancer. Take control of your body! According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), if you are over 40, you should have a mammogram each year. You should do monthly self-breast exams starting at age 20. Your self-check should be 7 days after your period or for menopausal women, around the same day each month. A doctor may also order an ultrasonography, which uses sound waves to find out whether a lump is solid or filled with fluid. Clinical breast exams are also useful. Feeling your breast can help your doctor figure out the size and texture of any abnormalities.

This information was provided by the Cedars-Sinai Women’s Cancer Research Institute, and the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and its Women’s Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).

CERVICAL CANCER RISK FACTORS & WARNING SIGNS

Did you know?
A vaccine is now available which protects against four types of human papillomavirus (HPV) and can prevent the majority of cervical cancers. Approved for girls/women, ages 9-25 years, the vaccine is given as a series of 3 shots over a six-month period. *Nearly all women with cervical cancer have human papillomavirus (HPV).

About 9,710 women will find out they have invasive cervical cancer this year. This year, about 3,700 women will die from cervical cancer. Hispanic women and African-American women are more likely to get cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women. Half of the women who get cervical cancer are between 30 and 55 years of age.

A pap smear is the best way to screen for early cervix cancer. Cervical cancer is highly curable if caught early!

What should you look for?
See a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding and/or bleeding/spotting after intercourse
  
• Pelvic pain
  
• Blood in urine
  
• Back pain
  
• Swelling in one leg
  
• Unexplained weight loss or gain
  
• More vaginal discharge than usual. This discharge is often bloody or foul smelling.
  
• Strange odor from vaginal discharge.
  
• Pain during sexual intercourse
  

Often women do not show any symptoms. You should learn the early warning signs of cancer. Take control of your body! You should have a pap smear at least once a year after age 18 or at the onset of first sexual relations, whichever comes first. Also, a pelvic exam is recommended as a regular screening for women. You may have a Pap test and human papillomavirus (HPV) test during a pelvic exam.

This information was provided by the Cedars-Sinai Women’s Cancer Research Institute, and the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and its Women’s Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).

OVARIAN CANCER RISK FACTORS & WARNING SIGNS

Did you know?
Ovarian cancer occurs in 1 in 55 women, and can occur at any age. Detected early and treated properly, more than 95% of women survive longer than 5 years. Pap tests DO NOT detect ovarian cancer. About 20,180 women will be told they have ovarian cancer in the United States this year. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.

Historically, ovarian cancer was called the “silent killer” because symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of cure was poor. However, recent studies have shown that the term is untrue and that the symptoms below are much more likely to occur in women with ovarian cancer than with women in the general population.

• Bloating
  
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
  
• Inability to eat normally, especially feeling full quickly
  
• Increased frequency or urgency of urination
  

What else should you look for?
Women with ovarian cancer have commonly reported several other symptoms. These symptoms, however, can also be found in the general population of women who do not have ovarian cancer. But know your body, and see a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist and are unusual for you:

• Change in your usual bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhea
  
• Nausea, indigestion, abdominal pain or tenderness
  
• Increased size of abdomen/tightness of your clothes
  
• Irregular or abnormal vaginal bleeding
  
• Unexplained weight loss or gain
  
• Backache
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Shortness of breath
  
• Pain during intercourse
  
• New acne
  
• Facial hair growth
  
• False positive pregnancy test
  

Take control of your body! If symptoms last more than 2-3 weeks, visit your doctor. You can ask about a combination pelvic/rectal exam, CA 125 blood test, and a transvaginal ultrasound. A doctor can also order a sonogram.

This information was provided by the Cedars-Sinai Women’s Cancer Research Institute, and the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and its Women’s Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).

UTERINE (ENDOMETRIAL) CANCER RISK FACTORS & WARNING SIGNS

Did you know?
This year about 41,200 women will be told they have uterine cancer. Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, after breast, lung, and colon cancer. About 7,350 women will die of cancer of the uterus this year.

What should you look for?
See a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist and are unusual for you:

• Unusual bleeding or discharge from the vagina
  
• Any bleeding from the vagina after menopause
  
• Pain when urinating or when having a bowel movement
  
• Pain during sexual intercourse
  
• Pain in the pelvic area or lower abdomen
  
• Fibroids that grow quickly, especially after menopause.

You should learn the early warning signs of cancer. Take control of your body! If you feel you are at risk, a doctor may order a biopsy to help make a diagnosis. During a biopsy, the doctor removes some tissue from the inner uterine lining, called the endometrium.

This information was provided by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and its Women’s Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).

The endometrial brush biopsy is a new method of endometrial biopsy that uses a small brush to gently sweep the endometrium to collect tissue and cells from a wider area of the uterus lining. This means that smaller spots of cancer are less likely to be missed, making earlier diagnosis more possible. For more information, visit: http://www.gynecor.com/introducing_the_trutest.html

VAGINAL CANCER RISK FACTORS & WARNING SIGNS

Did you know?
Although a rare form of the reproductive cancers, about 2,420 women will be diagnosed with the disease this year and an estimated 820 women will die. Most women are older than 60 when diagnosed with vaginal cancer. If you are or have been infected with Human papillomaviruses (HPV) or certain subtypes of HPV, you may be more at risk for vaginal cancer.

What should you look for?
See a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist and are unusual for you:

• Vaginal bleeding after menopause
  
• Vaginal bleeding after intercourse
  
• Abnormal vaginal discharge
  
• A mass in the vagina that can be felt
  
• Pain during sex
  
• Pain when urinating
  
• Constipation
  
• Constant pain in the pelvis
  

Take control of your body! If you develop any of the above symptoms and feel you are at risk, a routine visit to have a pelvic exam and Pap test can detect vaginal cancer. Women should also avoid infection of HPV. This can be done by not having sexual intercourse at a very young age, by having protected sex, and by avoiding sex with many people or with those who have had many sexual partners.

This information was provided by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and its Women’s Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).

VULVAR CANCER RISK FACTORS & WARNING SIGNS

Did you know?
In 2006 about 3,740 women in the United States were diagnosed with this cancer. A recent survey from the American Cancer Society about vulvar cancer convincingly demonstrated that the incidence of cancer of the vulva is increasing. About 880 women will die this year from vulvar cancer.

What should you look for?
See a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist and are unusual for you:

• Vulvar itching that does not improve
  
• A change in skin color around the vulva.
  
• A change in the feel of your skin around the vulva.
  
• Wartlike bump/bumps, cauliflowerlike growths, or ulcers/sores on the vulva or clitoral area.
  
• The lump or sore can be red, gray, or white.
  
• Pain when urinating
  
• Burning or bleeding and discharge not related to your menstrual cycle
  
• Enlarged glands in your groin
  
• A new mole on the vulva or a change in a mole that has been present for years
  
• An abnormal mole.

You should learn the early warning signs of cancer. Take control of your body! Get regular Pap tests and pelvic exams beginning about 3 years after first having vaginal intercourse, but no later than age 21. You may have these annually or every other year. It depends upon the type of Pap test your doctor uses.

This information was provided by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and its Women’s Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).