Five Most Common Cancers That Can Affect Women

Five Most Common Cancers That Can Affect Women

The successful cure could depend upon the knowledge of the symptoms. Pujchoji brings important facts about the five most common cancer which can affect women.
Last Updated: Sep 11, 2019

Cancer is one of the dangerous diseases that is affecting many people, especially women are suffering the most that is why it is essential to know and understand the risk factors related to cancers. Once you diagnosed with cancer, then the first step is to know how to minimize the risk.

Some of the cancer diseases that are affecting most of the women are Breast Cancer, Bronchus and Lung Cancer, Rectal and Colon Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Thyroid Cancer. Once you learn about these diseases, then the next step is to know how you can reduce the risk, so that, you can prevent cancer in early stages.

The first step is learning about the protective measures that you can apply to lessen your cancer risk.

Most of the time, the diagnosis of cancer is often associated with family health and medical history. Also, it is associated with lifestyle choices or the surroundings and changes in the environment. However, it is not possible to control your family history, or you cannot control the entire environment, but you can control your healthy lifestyle habits. Eating a good diet, participating in usual physical activities, quitting smoking, weight control, etc. all these are in your control so that you can prevent cancer symptoms in early stage itself.

A medical oncologist Dr. Daniel McFarland, DO at MSKCC (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) in NY City and, he is also an instructor in the department of medicine says that the risk factors are distinguished, but it is important to understand that there are certain things that you can do to reduce your risk.

According to the reports, around 852,630 women diagnosed with cancer in the year 2017, and about 282,500 women died from the disease, as per the Cancer Facts and Figures 2017 estimation report. The report published by the ACS (American Cancer Society) understanding your possibility factors and knowing what you can do to change them can help you reduce the risk factors.

Dr. McFarland says that sometimes, with simple things such as applying sunscreen can help you prevent skin cancer when you stay out in the hot sun the entire day. He also suggests talking to your doctor about the risk factors depending on your lifestyle and family history. If you know about cancer and its effects, then you can work out a plan for what diagnosis you may need and what kind of dietary changes can help you fight cancer. Dr. McFarland says that changing one thing might be useful for one individual may not be necessarily helpful for some other individuals

Learn about the cancer symptoms and what can increase the risk factors in women, and if you can follow some preventive steps, then you can lessen the risk.

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  • Breast Cancer

    Breast Cancer is one of the most common cancers that many women are suffering all over the world. Breast cancer can occur at any age, but the risk factor will be more for older women. Due to specific reasons, some women will have more significant chances of having breast cancer than other women. According to the reports, 30 percent of women have breast cancer, and 14 percent of female cancer deaths happened in 2017. According to the studies, one in eight women has chances of getting breast cancer globally.

    However, there is no one ultimate way to stop breast cancer; this is because there are several risk factors that are farther than your control. But, if you are aware of the list of most common risk and breast cancer symptoms, then it can help you minimize the risk factors.

    Women are 100 times more prone to breast cancer than men, and two out of three women are likely to get breast cancer at the age of 55 or above. Family history of breast cancer can increase the risk two times more, and the risk factor increases if two immediate relative sufferings from breast cancer. McFarland says, screening guideline differ a bit based on family history, so discuss it with your doctor and ask what is best for you if you are diagnosed with breast cancer.

    It is advisable to have breast screening frequently as it is the best way to find it early if you have breast cancer, in the early stage of cancer; it will be small and does not spread immediately, so it is easy to treat in the initial stages of cancer. The ACS (American Cancer Society) suggests the following for early detection of breast cancer.

    Women ages 40-44 should start breast cancer screening with mammograms once in a year for early detection. Women age 45 to 54 should get a screening every year and above 55-year-old women should do mammograms every two years, or they can as well continue annual testing.

    Breast cancer screening should continue as long as they have good health and expected to live a maximum of ten years more. Every woman should know the limitations, benefits, and potential risks connected to breast cancer screening. Also, women should check if their breasts look and feel healthy; otherwise, they should consult the doctor immediately if they see or feel any change.

  • Lung and Bronchus Cancer:

    Lung and bronchus cancers are expected to account for 12 percent of female cancer cases and 25 percent of female cancer deaths in 2017. A woman’s odds of getting lung cancer are 1 in 17.

    Around 12 percent of women have Lung cancer and bronchus cancers, and in the year 2017, 25 percent of female cancer deaths. At least eight out of ten lung cancer deaths are happening due to smoking. However, people who do not smoke can also get lung cancer at any time in their life. As per the reports, one in seventeen women is getting lung cancer.

    The percentage of death among the individual diagnosed with this lung cancer proves that how malicious lung cancer is. Though women are more prone to getting breast cancer compared to lung cancer, many deaths connected to lung cancer. However, eighty percent of lung cancers in women can avoid if women stop smoking. According to the CDCP (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), people who smoke have 15 to 30 times more chances of dying with lung cancer compared to a nonsmoker. Other significant factors that enhance the risk of Lung Cancer include:

    Radon Gas

    Secondhand Smoke

    Asbestos

    Diesel exhaust

    Arsenic, either in drinking water or inhaled

    Air pollution

    Lung cancer is a kind of cancer that can be prevented easily just by stop smoking. If you are a smoker, then take help from your doctor to stop smoking. If you are not a smoker, then stay away from people who smoke so that you can avoid breathing the smoke. According to ACS, you can get a toll-free number to find out how to help and enhance your chances of quitting smoking permanently.

    Also, by reducing alcohol consumption can help the individual overcome the risk of getting lung cancer. McFarland says that get a low-dose CT scan of your chest yearly to see if there any signs of lung cancer.

  • Colon Cancer

    Among all diseases, 8 percent of cancers are Rectal, or colon cancer, and eight percent of them are female, and eight percent of the female are dying with colon cancer. One in twenty-four women is likely to get colon cancer.

    However, colon cancer can also occur in teenagers and young adults, but more cases diagnosed in women age fifty and above. The women diagnosed at the average age with colon cancer symptoms is around 72 years, and for men, the average age is 68 as per the ACS for Clinical Oncology. Along with age, various other risk factors associated with colon cancer that includes:

    A family or personal history of Colon or polyps cancer

    Inactivity

    Suffering from inflammatory bowel infection, including Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

    Smoking

    Heavy drinking

    Obese

    A diet rich in processed or red meat or low in vegetables and fruits

    Type 2 diabetes

    Early detection of colon cancer can help you prolong your life. However, it generally takes over 15years for atypical cells to grow in the colon. General colonoscopy screening tests can help you detect polyps and remove them before they get atypical can help you stop cancer at the initial stages. McFarland says recommended guidelines for colonoscopy is at age 50, but you can consult your doctor to find if you need it any sooner.

    According to several studies, taking calcium through supplement or diet can lower the risk of colon cancers. Reducing processed and red meat and enhancing your fiber intake can also lessen the risk of getting colon cancer.

  • Cervical cancer

    Cervical cancer is another dangerous cancer that can affect any woman is active in sexual activity. Cervical cancer occurs in women who are suffering from HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). This virus gets transmitted while having sex with their partner. Also, women who smoke or have AIDS or HIV are more prone to get cervical cancer. Also, women who do not get Pap tests regularly or having poor nutrition are having chances of getting cervical cancer.

    Women should get a Pap test regularly as it finds if there are any changes in the cervix. Early detection of changes can treat before the problem becomes severe, and it can further become cancer. The Pap test helps the doctors find early stages of cervical cancer, and it can cure quickly.

    The ACS (American Cancer Society) suggests that cervical cancer screening should start at 21years of age. Women under 21 years don’t need cervical cancer tests, and the women between 21 and 29 should have a Pap test done in every three years. Also, there is a test called HPV, which is needed to test if the Pap test results seem to be unusual; otherwise, HPV is not required.

    Women between ages thirty and sixty-five should have a Pap test, and also HPV test should be done in every five years. It is the ideal period, but you can as well have Pap test done in every three years. Women above 65 years old, who had a regular cervical cancer testing in the past ten years and if the results are normal, then they don’t need to be tested anymore. Once cervical cancer testing stopped, then you should not do it again. Women who suffered from a cervical pre-cancer must continue the trail for another twenty years or so after the diagnosis.

  • Thyroid Cancer

    Among all cancers, thyroid cancer patients are 5 percent, and 3 percent of thyroid cancer women patients died in 2017. One in fifty-seven women may have chances of getting thyroid cancer. Many of the thyroid cancer risk factors are outside of your control. According to ACS (American Cancer Society), it might not be possible to stop most of the people from getting Thyroid cancer. But it is crucial to know what the risk factors are and how to take control of the disease. It is essential to understand what causes this disease and how to diagnose and treat cancer at an early stage.

    Factors that can increase thyroid cancer risk include:

    Women often diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in their 40s or 50s

    Cancer happens due to genetic mutations such as RET gene, and the blood tests can show if you have this RET gene that occurs if you have a family history of MTC (Medullary Thyroid Cancer), familial adenomatous polyposis, and other thyroid cancers.

    Exposure to radiation

    A low iodine diet

    Make changes in your lifestyle and change your eating habits. When you change your diet and start eating healthy food, perform regular exercises, and automatically, you will improve your health and reduce the risk of getting cancers that affects the women in general.