If preventive measures are taken, fewer women will die at a young age. E very year, thousands of women die of breast and ovarian cancer. In 2000, about 4,600 of those deaths were related to cervical cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. And the American Cancer Society says many of these deaths can be prevented by early detection methods, such as those provided by the Student Health Center.
Early detection involves many different things.
As soon as a girl starts menstruating, she should begin breast self-examinations. At the age of 18, women should begin seeing a gynocologist to start getting pap smears. This test checks for ovarian as well as uterian cancer. Doctors also do an examination to check for breast cancer, or any abnormalities in the breast. When women reach the age of about 40, they should start having yearly mammograms.