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Cancers That Only Women Have

Cancer Women
Cancer is that one disease that cheats you; its is really true that cancer has no answer. The worst hit by this disease are the women today and specially the ones in the 40 to 50 bracket. Some cancers in women are unique, as in, they happen only to women and these are the ones that you should definitely know about on International Women's Day. Cervical cancer for example is rapidly becoming the number one killer disease among women and most women have never heard of it.

Here are some of the main cancers in women that you need to be aware of on the occasion of International Women's Day.

Women Only Cancers:

1. Cervical Cancer: If you ask an average woman on the street she may not even know what cervix means. This cancer is the only cancer caused by a virus that infects your cervix (the bone that holds the pelvic region). Now there is good thing and a bad thing about it. It is virus and it spreads through sexual contact but there is vaccine that can protect you against it. For those women who have multiple sexual partners, the vaccine is a good idea. Cervical cancer is very difficult to detect as there are no symptoms until it is too late. So regular pap smear tests are the only way out for you.

2. Breast Cancer: There is been some news about a derivative of this is cancer, more like a chest cancer that is happening to men too but by and large, it is women specific cancer and millions of women die every year of this disease. Unlike the previous one, this cancer is very easy to detect with regular self breast examination. Brest cancer awareness has been on the rise but it is up to you to go that extra inch and spend 5 minutes on yourself. It you and only you who can diagonse it with self examination.

3. Uterine Cancer: What you brush of as irregular period is the first and only symptom of this cancer. Most uterus cancers are endometrium cancers, cancer of the inner lining of the uterus. A small minority is tumours. Any kind of abnormal bleeding or thick endometrial layer seen in the ultra sound scans could indicate a risk factor. Obesity and unhealthy lifestyles are the main causes of this disease and both are rampant in modern women.

4. Ovarian Cancer: Most of us have fibroids and Poly Cystic Ovaries (PCOS) these days; it is these cysts that turn into tumours and become malignant. Most ovarian cancers are detected really late because it has no special symptoms. Blood tests and ultra sound scans are the only markers and you need to get yourself regularly checked. If you already have PCOS from a young age or are over weight then you need to be doubly careful.

Follow these good health tips to know about women only cancers on International Women's Day.

Story first published: Wednesday, February 29, 2012, 13:38 [IST]
Read more about: cancer womens day health