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Common Cancers
Some of the common forms of cancer for women are:
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast start to grow abnormally in an uncontrolled manner. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, although lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. Click here to visit the Mercy Breast Health Center.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Relatively rare, Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) does not appear in routine self breast exams or mammograms. Some symptoms include a warm swollen breast, skin which is red or appears dimpled like an orange, itching or pain in the breast, or a nipple which is flattened or inverted, possibly with a discharge. Some recent studies show about 40 percent survival five years after diagnosis. Two thirds of patients are post-menopausal at diagnosis. Click here for more information.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is a rapid, uncontrolled growth of severely abnormal cells on the cervix. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide; only breast cancer is more common.
Colon & Rectum Cancer
Colorectal cancer is the abnormal growth of cancer cells in the lower digestive tract. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States; it is also the third leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. Colorectal cancer develops in one of every 20 people. One of every 10 people who develop colorectal cancer dies from it. Colorectal cancer occurs most frequently in men and women older than 50.
Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer
Endometrial cancer is the rapid and uncontrolled growth of cells in the lining of the uterus (endometrium). Endometrial cancer usually occurs in women older than 50. Most cases (77 percent) are diagnosed in the earliest stage, while cancer is still contained in the uterus and can be cured. When diagnosed at this stage, up to 93 percent of women are cancer-free five years after treatment.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer occurs when cells in the lung start to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled manner. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. Some well-established risk factors are associated with lung cancer. Changing your lifestyle can, over time, gradually reduce some of your risk factors for developing lung cancer.
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is a rapid, uncontrolled growth of severely abnormal cells in one or both ovaries. It is the fifth most common cancer in women and most often affects postmenopausal women. The most common form of ovarian cancer is called epithelial ovarian cancer.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. It destroys and replaces normal skin cells and tissues and, in some cases, can spread to other parts of the body. Most skin cancers start in the outer layer of the skin (epidermis). About 97% of all skin cancer is nonmelanoma skin cancer. Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that may affect the skin only or may spread (metastasize) through the blood or lymph systems to organs and bones. Melanoma can develop in an existing mole or other mark on the skin or on unmarked skin. It occurs most frequently on the upper backs of men and women and on the legs in women. However, it can grow anywhere.
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