According to OBGYN Montgomery County Dr. Rania Ibrahim, more than 98,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with a gynecological cancer this year and approximately 30,000 will die from the disease. Despite this threat, few women recognize the signs and symptoms or know what preventive measures they can take. The most common forms of gynecological cancer are cervical, uterine, vaginal, vulvar and ovarian cancer.
All women are at some risk for gynecological cancers, regardless of age or ethnicity. And while there is no cure for these types of cancers, prevention and early detection can lead to more effective treatment.
The bottom line is that an annual visit to your OB-GYN Montgomery County is vitally important. One thing revealed in a national survey is that less than half of women actually realize the importance of an annual visit to the OBGYN and this is such an important preventative measure to take in the fight against gynecological cancer.
Most adolescents begin seeing an OBGYN around thirteen years of age. An annual exam with your OBGYN Montgomery County should include screening tests, exams, and discussions on health topics and immunizations relevant to your age and risk factors.
If women had their regular Pap smears and were even vaccinated against the HPV vaccine, the human papillomavirus vaccine, cervical cancer could really be eliminated in the United States, because we do see there are early changes in the cervix that can be caught and treated long before they become a cancer.
The Pap smear looks for abnormal cell changes in the cervix and is recommended for women between the ages of 21 and 65. For women over the age of 30, an HPV test can also be used to search for specific HPV types that are linked to cervical cancer.
Another important component in the prevention of gynecologic cancer is maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active. Obesity is a big risk factor when it comes to ovarian cancer and uterine cancer, so staying within an ideal body weight is very important. Genetics is another crucial risk factor for ovarian cancer. Studies revealed that almost 40 percent of women who inherited a specific mutation developed ovarian cancer by the age of 70.
According to your OBGYN Montgomery County, early cervical cancer doesn’t have any symptoms, which is one of the reasons why the Pap smear is so important because it can be detected and treated it before any symptoms develop.
If it’s been a while since your last Pap smear – don’t hesitate – call the office of OBGYN Montgomery County Dr. Rania Ibrahim today to schedule an appointment for this vitally important test.