Gynecology

Ovarian Cancer: Watch for Early Clues

It was once considered a silent disease—often going undetected until it was too late to do much about it. Now doctors believe that ovarian cancer may cause early symptoms. If you're a woman, it's important to become familiar with them. The overwhelming majority of women whose ovarian cancers are found and treated early will live five years or longer—and many will live much longer and can even be cured, according to the American Cancer Society ACS . Unfortunately, only 20% of ovarian ...

Understanding Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Throughout a woman’s lifetime, she undergoes a series of changes from menstruation to menopause. There’s another common change that many women may not be aware of, even though 300,000 surgeries are performed every year in the U.S. because of it. This change is known as pelvic organ prolapsed. When the muscles and other tissues supporting pelvic organs weaken or are injured, they can drop from their normal positions. This is particularly common with the bladder, which can slip out of ...

How to prevent cervical cancer

Here's something every woman should know about cervical cancer: It's almost always preventable. Cervical cancer is rare in women who are regularly screened for it. And there's a vaccine that protects against its most common cause, the human papillomavirus HPV . Most cervical cancers start with precancerous changes that gradually turn into cancer. Screening can find these abnormal changes, which doctors can then treat. That stops cancer from ever developing. Screening always includes the Pap...

The Importance of Pap Tests

Pap tests save lives. They’re the primary reason why cervical cancer deaths have dropped more than 50 percent in the U.S. over the past four decades. But women must remain vigilant in receiving their pap tests for this trend to continue. These tests can detect cancer at the earliest stages when the chances of successful treatment are at their highest. They can also spot cells that have the potential to turn cancerous over time, and stop the disease before it even has a chance to develop. P...

Observing Cervical Health Awareness Month

The Florida Department of Health in Polk County recognizes January as Cervical Health Awareness Month, a time to educate, encourage and empower women to visit their health care provider for information and screening for cervical cancer. It's important for women to know their health status and attend regular health checkups, said Dr. Joy Jackson, director of the Florida Department of Health in Polk County DOH-Polk . Women can help prevent cervical cancer by getting screened regularly beginni...