Increasing access key to closing the gap
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| Fiction |
Fact |
| Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women. |
Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all cancers combined. |
| Surgery can cause cancer to spread. |
Exposing the tumor to air does not cause cancer to spread. Often surgery reveals a more extensive cancer, which may cause people to think that surgery worsened the disease. |
| Cancer is contagious. | It is not possible to “catch” cancer from someone. However, through unsafe sex, you can become infected with certain viruses, such as hepatitis C and HPV, which can lead to liver and cervical cancers, respectively. |
| Living a healthy lifestyle can prevent cancer. |
Although exercise, not smoking, a healthy weight and a healthy eating plan can reduce the risk of cancer, they cannot provide an absolute protection against the disease. Other factors, such as genetics and environment may come into play. |
A disturbing difference  |
How much is too much?
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Men’s daily limit |
The body requires glucose to provide energy to do its job. We can get that sugar naturally from fruits, vegetables, milk and whole grains, which are full of nutrients. Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week is May 8 – 14. |
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Get screened for head and neck
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Risk Factors
A risk factor is a characteristic that is likely to increase your chance of a particular disease. Having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease. Likewise, not having one is not a guarantee against it. Some risk factors for cancer are beyond a person’s control, while others can be influenced by behavior and lifestyle.
Factors you can control |
• Smoking and tobacco use • Inactivity and weight • Unhealthy diet • Alcohol consumption |
Factors beyond your control |
• Age • Race • Personal or family history of cancer • Genetics/inherited mutations |
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Cancer screenings can help detect cancer in the early stages when treatment is more successful. Some screenings — cervical and colorectal — can actually prevent cancer by removing precancerous lesions. Learn how to examine yourself for skin and head and neck cancers. Early detection can improve survival rates. |
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M |
F |
Screening Test |
Starting Age |
Frequency |
| Cancer | ||||
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Cervical (Pap test)* | 21 |
Every 1 to 3 years | |
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Breast (Mammogram)* | 40 |
Every 1 to 2 years | |
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Prostate (PSA)* | 45 |
Yearly | |
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Colorectal* | 45 |
Every year - fecal occult blood test Every 5 years - sigmoidoscopy and fecal blood test Every 10 years - colonoscopy |
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Skin | 18 |
Yearly |
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Head and Neck | 18 |
Yearly |
*Screening schedule depends on risk factors. |
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