Cancers Affecting Women

A recent study looked at the link between weight and ovarian cancer. They found that women who were heavier and had never had children were 2.5 times more likely at risk for ovarian cancer than their thinner counterparts. Another study from the American Cancer Society found a higher rate of death from ovarian cancer in obese women. The risk was increased by 50% in the heaviest women. The American Cancer Society estimates that at least 1/3rd of all cancer deaths in the US are attributable to excess weight and obesity.

Meanwhile, for women suffering from late cervical cancer, there is a new option available. A drug that is already used for women suffering from ovarian cancer has now been approved, in combination with another drug, for women with late-stage cervical cancer. This is the combination of the drug Hycamtin, with cisplatin. It is the first drug treatment for women for whom surgery or radiation therapy is unlikely to be effective against cervical cancer that’s incurable, recurrent or persistent and has spread to other organs. This treatment will not save the woman’s life, but it will prolong it.

The final good news about cancer and women is that we now have a vaccine to protect against the two strains of the human papillomavirus that is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer received.

Each year, there are about 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in U.S. women and 3,700 deaths. Since the risk of so many cancers are linked to weight and lifestyle, this is again good reason to strive to keep your weight down and eat healthy foods and stay active.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ovariancancer.html

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