Your doctor has given you the lowdown on how to protect yourself against breast, colon, and lung cancer. But when was the last time she asked if you had any persistent mouth sores, unexplained fevers or joint pain, or discomfort during sex? These can be symptoms of three cancers—oral, leukemia, and endometrial—that don't get the attention they deserve. Even though they are among the most common cancers affecting women over age 55, these diseases can fall through the cracks as doctors focus on the biggest killers hogging the health headlines, says Elmer Huerta, M.D., president of the American Cancer Society.
Read more for the facts behind these quiet dangers—and the simple ways you can protect yourself.
Oral Cancer
Your Risk: 1 in 98, with diagnoses peaking between the ages of 55 and 65. Oral cancer is lethal more often than it needs to be because people tend to ignore symptoms (it's typically caught in late stages).
Stay healthy: Watch your mouth—see a dentist or doctor about any sore in your mouth or on your lips that doesn't clear up in two weeks. A change in color or persistent pain, tenderness, or numbness anywhere in your mouth or on your lips should also prompt a fast visit.
Curb your vices: About 75 percent of oral cancers are caused by smoking and drinking alcohol. When such habits were considered unladylike, men with oral cancer outnumbered women 6 to 1, says Sol Silverman Jr., D.D.S., a professor of oral medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry. "But in the last 50 years, the incidence in women has soared—now the ratio is two men to every woman." Limit your intake to one drink per day.
Guard your lips: They need protection, too. Sunscreen isn't exactly tasty, so choose a balm with SPF and then apply your favorite gloss or lipstick.
The good news: Researchers at Ohio State University recently found that phytochemicals extracted from Hass avocados could kill or stop the growth of oral cancer cells. The study was done in test tubes, but there's no need to wait for confirmation—bring on the guacamole!
for more info. about Leukemia and Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer go to:
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/cancer/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100212346&OCID=eml_msnnl_6005.11.2.17&REFCD=emmsnnl_6005.11.2.17
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