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The Truth About
Breast, Cervical & Bowel Cancer
By Cancer Council Victoria |
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|  This festive season, the Cancer Council is encouraging you to take a little time to focus on important cancer screening and early detection tests that may have been overlooked or forgotten the past few years.
‘Women are very good at taking care of the health of their children, families and friends but they are not always so good at prioritising their own health. Now is a great time to remind women how important it is to be aware of their own bodies and have regular screening tests’, said Alison Peipers, Deputy Director of the Cancer Prevention Centre at Cancer Council Victoria.
‘As women get older, it is easy to adopt a ‘reactive’ approach to health and focus only on problems as they arise, rather than being vigilant about prevention. However, the risk of developing cancers such as cervical, breast and bowel cancer actually increases with age’, said Ms. Peipers.
Cervical Cancer ‘Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers we know we can prevent with regular two-yearly Pap tests throughout our lives. Pap tests are an important preventative screening test for all women, aged 18 to 70, who have ever had sex’, said Kate Broun, Manager of PapScreen, Victoria.
Cervical cancer is caused by infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV), a virus spread through genital skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. Pap tests detect abnormal cell changes in the cervix caused by HPV. ‘Some women may be embarrassed or feel uncomfortable about having a Pap test, but they only take a couple of minutes and you only need one every two years’, added Ms. Broun.
Almost 90% of Victorian women who develop cervical cancer either never had a Pap test or did not have them regularly in the ten years prior to diagnosis. Ms. Broun is urging all women who have not had a Pap test in the last two years to make an appointment with their GP this week. |
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• The early stages of cervical cancer often have no symptoms.
The only way to know if there are
abnormal cells in the cervix is to have a Pap test.
• Each year Pap tests prevent around 1,200 new
cases of cervical cancer in Australia.
• Women who have had the cervical cancer vaccine
still need to have regular Pap tests.
Women who have questions about Pap tests, HPV, cervical cancer or where to find their closest Pap test provider can visit www.papscreen.org.au call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20. |
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Breast Cancer
More than 12,000 women in Australia are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. The good news is, thanks to advances in treatment and early detection many more women are surviving breast cancer today than ten years ago.
Early detection of breast cancer offers the best chance of recovery. ‘If you are aged 50 to 69, it is a good idea to have a free mammogram every two years at BreastScreen. Importantly, our advice to women of all ages is: be familiar with the normal look and feel of your breasts and see your doctor if you notice any unusual changes’, said Ms. Peipers. ‘In Australia, more than half of breast cancers are found after a woman or her doctor notices a change in her breast. There is no specific technique for checking your breasts. Nine out of ten breast changes are not breast cancer, however, it is important to have any changes checked out straight away by your doctor’, added Ms. Peipers. |
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Unusual breast changes to look out for:
• A lump, lumpiness or thickening in the breast or armpit.
• Changes in the skin - dimpling, puckering or redness.
• Changes in the nipple - pointing in rather than out
(unless it has always been this way),
a change in
direction or an unusual discharge.
• An area that feels different from the rest.
• Unusual pain.
As well as gender, ageing is the most significant risk factor for breast cancer, with more than 70% of cases occurring in women over the age of 50. Having a strong family history of breast cancer also increases your risk of developing the disease. If you have one or more close relatives who have had breast cancer, particularly if they were under 50, it is recommended you discuss your family history with your doctor.
Although many risk factors for breast cancer are unavoidable, such as your age, family history and being a woman, there are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of breast cancer:
• Limit alcohol. The more alcoholic drinks you have
each day, the greater your risk of breast cancer. It is
therefore a good idea to reduce your alcohol
consumption, or better still, avoid it altogether.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight and
having a waistline of over 85cm increases the risk of
breast cancer. Try to maintain a healthy bodyweight by
combining regular exercise with a healthy diet that is
low in fat and high in fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Be physically active. An active lifestyle has been
shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Try to do at
least 30 minutes of vigorous activity or one hour of
moderate exercise most days. For further information about breast and other cancer types visit: www.cancer.org.au or call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 to speak to a cancer nurse. To book a free mammogram call BreastScreen on 13 20 50. |
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Bowel Cancer
Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Australia (after lung cancer) and kills around 80 Australians every week. Bowel cancer affects nearly as many women as men and the risk of bowel cancer increases from the age of 50. The good news is nearly all cases of bowel cancer could be cured if they are found early.
‘Screening is important, as bowel cancer often develops without symptoms, which means it is possible to have the disease without realising anything is wrong’, said Ms. Peipers.
Screening for bowel cancer can be done with a simple, at-home test. It involves taking a tiny sample from two separate bowel motions using a test called a faecal occult blood test (FOBT). The completed FOBT is then mailed to a laboratory where the samples are analysed for traces of blood, which may be invisible to the naked eye, but could be an early sign of bowel cancer. If blood is found in either sample, the participant is sent a letter encouraging them to speak to their doctor about further testing, usually a colonoscopy.
Currently all Australians turning 50, 55 or 65 between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2010 will receive a free FOBT in the mail as part of the Australian Government’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Those who are aged over 50 but not yet eligible for the national program can speak to their GP about how to obtain an FOBT. |
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Bowel cancer can develop without any symptoms. However, when bowel cancer symptoms are present they may include:
• Bleeding from the back passage or any sign of
blood after a bowel motion.
• An unexpected and persistent change in bowel
actions.
• Unexplained tiredness.
• Lower abdominal pain or a persistent feeling of
fullness.
Speak to your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.
For further information about the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program visit www.cancerscreening.gov.au or call 1800 118 868. H |
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Cancer Connect is a telephone peer support program that connects people who have cancer, or are caring for someone with cancer, with trained volunteers who have had a similar experience. To arrange to speak to a Cancer Connect volunteer call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20. |
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