Colorectal cancer is a disease that can be prevented. Eating food that is low in fat and high in fiber appears to lower the risk of colorectal cancer. People at moderate or high risk for colorectal cancer should talk with their doctor about a different screening schedule. Most of these will be caught early and cured, although a third of these cases will still result in the patient's death. In certain groups of women, including women past the child-bearing years who do not regularly see a gynecologist, cervical cancer is more commonly found at an advanced stage when cure is less likely.
Cervical cancer can affect any woman who is, or has been, sexually active.
Risk of cervical cancer is higher in women who have had multiple sexual partners. Older women and women without access to regular medical care are especially vulnerable if they do not have regular Pap tests and gynecological examinations. A Pap test can detect changes in the cervix that can be treated before it becomes cancerous. The Pap test is also very effective in detecting cervical cancer in its early stages before it has spread to other parts of the body, when it still remains highly curable. The American Cancer Society recommends that all women who have reached the age of 18 or who have been sexually active have a Pap test and pelvic exam every year.