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My Health
One key thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to have regular
screenings. Speak to your doctor about how often you should get them. See
the chart below.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Breast and Gynecological Cancers: CDC.gov
Finding cancer early is the best way to treat it and beat it. Get the facts to stay
healthy and cancer-free.
Here are three important steps every woman should take:
•
Learn your risk and lifestyle factors.
•
Learn how to prevent breast and cervical cancer.
•
Get regular screenings.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, no matter your race or
ethnic group. Be sure to get screenings. Speak to your doctor about how often
you should get them. See the chart below.
BREAST CANCER FAST FACTS
RISK AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS
SCREENINGS
PREVENTION
•
•
Getting older
•
•
Being overweight
•
•
Drinking alcohol
•
•
Not getting regular exercise
•
•
Having your menstrual period before
age 12
•
•
Giving birth to your first child after
age 35
•
•
Never giving birth
•
•
Not breastfeeding
•
•
Starting menopause by age 55
•
•
Family or personal history of
breast cancer
•
•
Having changes in the breast cancer-
related genes BRCA1 or BRCA2
•
•
Treatment with radiation therapy to
the breast or chest
•
•
Long-term use of hormone
replacement therapy
•
•
Mammogram
•
•
Clinical
breast exam
•
•
Breast self-exam
(check your
breasts often
for changes
and lumps)
•
•
Get screened
for breast
cancer regularly.
•
•
Control your
weight and
get exercise.
•
•
Limit the amount
of alcohol
you drink.
•
•
Know your
family history of
breast cancer.
•
•
Find out the
risks and
benefits of
hormone
replacement
therapy.
CERVICAL CANCER FAST FACTS
RISK AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS SCREENINGS
PREVENTION
•
•
Smoking
•
•
Using birth control pills for five
or more years
•
•
Having given birth to three or
more children
•
•
Having HIV infection
•
•
The Pap test, or
Pap smear
•
•
Ask your doctor if the
human papillomavirus
(HPV) test is right
for you.
•
•
Don’t smoke.
•
•
Use condoms
during sex.
•
•
Limit your number
of sexual partners.
Breast and cervical cancer
What all women need to know
New members: get an initial health exam
Your first exam with the doctor is called an initial health exam. It’s very important.
You and your child should each get it right away when you enroll. Why? It helps
your doctor:
•
•
Learn about you and your health
before you get sick.
•
•
Look at past or ongoing health issues.
•
•
Go over the drugs you’re taking to
make sure they’re working.
•
•
Tell you what checkups, shots or tests
you need.
•
•
Study your family’s medical history.
Call your doctor for an exam today! If you need help figuring out how to make that
first health exam appointment, call us at
1-800-407-4627
. If you have hearing or
speech loss, call the TTY line at
1-888-757-6034
.
