Cancers in Women is the one of the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in India and worldwide. These cancers are preventable, treatable and curable if timely diagnosed. (Also read: onlymyhealth.com)
The leading types of cancer in women are as follows :
1. Breast Cancer
2. Cervical Cancer
3. Ovarian Cancer
4. Uterine or Endometrium cancers
5. Lung Cancers
6. Colorectal Cancers
7. Head And Neck Cancers
The above leading cancers constitutes aboutlnesrly 50% of all cancers. These cancers are life-threatening and if diagnosed early can be cured also.Most patients in India presents to the doctor at an advanced stage due to lack of knowledge and ignorance.These cancers are also preventable in 50% of the cases if Approriately Screened.
Screening of cancers, Early diagnosis and treatment should be the motto to reduce the mortality rate and improve the quality of life.
Let us understand how these cancers present in women and what are the signs,symptoms and red flags signs.
It is the most common cancer affecting women in Indis and worldwide.
Approximately 1 in 20 women could develop breast cancer. Females of any age can develop this cancer and with age the risk increases.In India,more and more younger women are affected by breast cancers.
Symptoms:
1. It is the second most common cancer found in Indian women.
2.Constitutes about 23% of all cancer cases in Indian women.
3. It is still the commonest cancer in women in rural areas.
4. This is most common in sexually active women.
5. Cervical cancer is most commonly caused due to the presence of Human papillomavirus or HPV, which is a sexually transmitted infection.
6. Other causes of cervical cancer include tobacco use or smoking, AIDS or HIV, poor nutrition, genital infection, giving birth to multiple children, weak immune system, multiple sexual partners, long term use of contraceptive pills.
Symptoms:
1. In its early stages, cervical cancer does not show any symptom.
2.Vaginal discharge
3. Pain during sex
4. Abnormal vaginal bleeding during sex, after menopause or between periods
1. Most common gynecological cause of mortality
2. Affects women of 4th and 5th decades commonly.
3. Ovarian cancer affects those women who never had children or those who had children at late years of age.
4. Other risk factors are family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, HNPCC or Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colon Cancer .
5.Early stages,patients may not have any Symptoms or may have non specific symptoms.
6. Common signs and symptoms indicating ovarian malignancies are
- Pelvic pain or abdomen pain
- Sensation of fullness after eating
- Abdominal swelling or distension
- Feeling a sense of urinating all the time
- fluid in the abdomen
- vaginal.discharge
Cancer of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries and the second most common in developing countries (cervical cancer is more common)
Risk factors :
1. Unopposed estrogen therapy
2. Tamoxifen drug
3. Chronic anovulation
4. Obesity
5. Estrogen-secreting tumors
6. Early menarche and late menopause
7. Lynch syndrome
8. Cowden syndrome
9. BRCA Carriers
10. Family history
Signs and symptoms:
1. Abnormal vaginal bleeding in the post menopausal phase
2. Vaginal discharge
3. Abdomen pain
4. Pelvic pain and pressure
It is one of the leading cause of mortality in both men and women
Women who develop lung cancers are either have genetic susceptibility due to mutations or they are smokers. Recently incidences have increased due to increase smoking habits in women.Exposure to pollution and other toxic chemicals are other causes of lung cancers
Signs and symptoms :
1. Chest pain
2. Cough which is persistent for more than 2 weeks
3. Blood in the sputum or expectoration
4. Breathing difficulty
5. Neck swelling
6. Advanced stages presents with liver metastasis causing liver dysfunction,jaundice, Bone metastasis,brain metastasis.
Risk factors :
1 No definite cause identified
2 Genetic
3 Hereditary with a family history of colon cancer,
4 Inflammatory bowel disease
5 polyps in their rectum or colon are more at risk of developing colon cancer.
6. Obesity
7. high-fat content foods especially derived from animals
8. Lack of physical activity
9. Smoking
Symptoms:
It is one of the most common cancers affecting Indian women.
About 80% of oral and lip cancer is caused due to tobacco use. It is one of the commonest preventable cancers in the world.
Symptoms:
These are commonest cancers in women and their signs/symptoms that warrants further investigation and treatment.
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