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■ Healthcare

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The most common cancers in the United States for women are breast , lung , colon and endometrial ( uterine ) cancer .
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rate is approximately 66 percent . Cervical cancer is most commonly diagnosed between 35-65 years of age although can be diagnosed at a younger or older ages . Some common signs or symptoms of cervical cancer include post coital bleeding ( bleeding after sex ) or abnormal vaginal bleeding , pelvic pain , back pain and leg swelling . The main risk factor for cervical cancer is infection with the Human Papilloma Virus ( HPV ). Cervical cancer is unique in that there is an excellent screening test for it , the Pap test and HPV testing , that can pick up precancerous lesions and treat them before they become a cancer . Another unique feature of cervical cancer is that there is a vaccine that can prevent precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix called Gardasil . The Gardasil vaccine is a vaccine against nine types of HPV and is FDA approved up to age 45 .
Hackensack Meridian Health , Riverview Medical Center , Bayshore Medical Center By Harriet Borofsky , M . D ., Medical Director of Breast Imaging
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed ( non-skin ) malignancy in women . According to ACS estimates , approximately 2 million women worldwide , 226,870 women in the United States and 8,330 women in New Jersey will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year . In fact , New Jersey has one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the United States . The good news is that breast cancer is highly curable , with five-year survival rates of 90 percent , especially when detected in its earliest stages . Early detection is an opportunity to halt the natural progression of this disease , improve outcomes and increase treatment options that are well tolerated and minimally impactful to women ’ s daily lives . The single most effective tool for early detection of breast cancer is screening mammography . Since screening programs were launched in the 1990s , breast cancer deaths have decreased by 40 percent and breast cancer treatments have focused on managing predominantly small , early-stage tumors with less-invasive surgical procedures and more effective targeted hormonal and chemotherapy regimens . Advances to improve early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer have evolved over the past two decades at a dizzying pace , including minimally invasive biopsies , breast ultrasound and breast MRI . Perhaps , the single most impactful technology is 3D-mammography , improving upon the overall accuracy of mammograms for the thousands of women that are screened daily .
Holy Name Medical Center , Patricia Lynch Cancer Center By Yadyra Rivera , M . D ., Program Director , Breast Oncology
Breast , lung and colorectal cancers make up about half of cancer cases among women nationally and here in New Jersey , with breast cancer being the most prevalent . Screening is key as early diagnosis leads to better outcomes . Women should begin regular mammograms at age 40 ; an MRI might also be indicated for those at higher risk , due to genetics or other factors . If breast cancer is diagnosed , there are a variety of personalized treatment options that are recommended for the best possible outcomes . In addition to surgery , chemotherapy and radiation , we have effective medications to treat breast cancer that target hormones and the immune system . Given orally or through infusion , these have become standard of care . Hormonal therapy blocks or reduces estrogen or progesterone
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