Cancer

Cancer takes a huge toll on American women. By the end of 2001, some 625,000 women will have been diagnosed with cancer, and about 267,300 women will have died of the disease. Fifty-eight percent of the estimated 8.9 million cancer survivors today are women. Cancers that are specific to or affect women in high numbers include breast, cervical, endometrial (uterine), ovarian, lung, skin, and colorectal cancers, as well as AIDS-associated cancers. Breast cancer is the most frequent type of new cancer diagnosed in women. The number one cause of cancer deaths in women is lung cancer; breast cancer is number two. Cancer is a complex group of diseases where cells grow out of control, becoming abnormal and causing illness. Major advances have occurred in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. If you think you have signs of cancer or are at risk for cancer, it is important to talk with your health care provider.

Cancer and its treatments can affect a woman's body image in many ways. Surgery can cause changes in physical appearance and scarring. Other treatments can cause weight loss or weight gain, fatigue, nausea, hair loss, and skin changes, which can change how a woman looks and feels. Wigs and makeup are some options to help women look and feel better. If a woman has a breast removed, she can have surgery to reconstruct the breast or wear a prosthesis (an artificial or fake breast). Some women can find it hard to be upbeat when their treatment makes them feel bad or changes how they look. It is normal to feel this way. Talking with family, friends and your health care provider can give you the support you need to cope with cancer and it's treatments. The National Women's Health Information Center has provided the following publications and organizations to help women learn more about cancer and how to maintain a positive body image.

Publications

A Time to Heal: Chronotherapy Tunes In to Body's Rhythms
This brochure discusses how our bodies build defenses against disease. It explains how these defenses depend on many factors such as age, gender, and genetics.

Cancer Facts - Psychological Stress and Cancer
This publication contains information on the association between physical and psychological health and the effect of stress on the body.

Chemotherapy and You: A Guide to Self-Help During Treatment
This 56-page question-and-answer booklet addresses problems and concerns of patients receiving chemotherapy. The emphasis is on explanation and self-help.

Depression (PDQ®) Supportive Care - Patients
This brief summary describes the causes and treatment of depression and risk factors and prevention of suicide in adults and children who have cancer.

Breast Prostheses List (Copyright © ACS)
This site lists producers of breast prostheses and accessory items.

Chemotherapy Related Hair Loss (Copyright © AHLC)
This publication explains why hair is lost during chemotherapy and gives advice to patients on caring for regrowing hair.

Look Good Feel Better Program (Copyright © ACS)
This site introduces the American Cancer Society's "Look Good… Feel Better" Program, a community based, free national service. It teaches female cancer patients beauty techniques to help enhance their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Organizations

= Federal government resources

Text on this page last updated: September 2001