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According to the American Heart Association breast cancer attacks more than 175,000 women a year. And of those women, 43,300 will die of the disease. Another 12,800 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 25,200 with ovarian cancer.
As scary as cancer is, it’s not something that will just go away. And, it is definitely not something that can be ignored. No one likes to be confronted with their own mortality, let alone the fear of being overcome by some disease. But without early detection, your chances of survival become very slim. Just remember that the longer you wait to get an exam, the higher your chances are of not being able to catch the disease in time for a cure. The best defense in fighting any form of cancer is definitely early detection.
The American Heart Association states that you should start breast self-examinations at the age of 20. However, if your family has a history of breast cancer, it’s never too early to start doing the breast self-examinations. Studies have shown that women whose family members have had breast cancer have a bigger chance of getting breast cancer. Studies have also shown that women who have never given birth or had their first child after the age of thirty should also be extremely cautious.
If you are over forty years of age, a mammogram should be done by your doctor, along with a clinical breast exam every year. It can not be stressed enough, that even if your results show no sign of cancer, you should return each year for an annual breast exam.
One thing to keep in mind is that not every lump found on one’s breast is cancerous. Some women will find lumps while doing a breast self-examination. After notifying the doctor, the area will be tested and possibly cut open. If the area is cut open, the doctor will remove the lump and send it to the lab. When the biopsy is tested, the lab will be able to determine if it is cancerous or not.
With pap smears, cervical cancer can be detected 95% of the time. Without pap smears, cervical cancer can go undiagnosed, spreading until there is no chance of a cure. Pap smears should be done annually, but no less than every three years. If you have had your childbearing parts removed, don’t think you are out of the woods. You still need those pap smears as cancer can grow on the vagina and the vulva.
While cervical cancer can usually be detected by annual pap smears, ovarian cancer cannot be detected until it’s in the late stages of the disease.
Other than early detection through examinations, one can also help prevent cancer causing agents from forming by:
· Eating foods low in fat. Such as cutting down or completely cutting out fried foods, fatty meats, and whole dairy products.
· Eating fruits and vegetables high in vitamins C and A.
· Exercising on a daily basis keeps fat from forming in the body, which in turn helps prevent cancer.
· Cutting down and eventually cutting out, alcohol and smoking.
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