According to the American Cancer Society there will be more than 713,000 new cancer cases diagnosed in American women, in 2009. Wednesday night, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics will host a Health for Your Lifetime event on women and cancer.
Michael Goodheart, MD, board-certified gynecologic oncologist at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, talks about women and cancer:
What types of cancer most often affect women?
There are lots of different cancers that affect women. The top cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer. In our Gynecologic Oncology Clinic we also see uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer.
Are certain women more likely to develop cancer than others?
They are. Actually, a strong family history of cancer in relatives is a big predisposing factor. There are other life-style changes as well: a history of smoking, obesity, things like that also can predispose people to development of cancer.
Are their general signs of cancer all women should know about?
Anything that seems out of the ordinary:
- Decrease in weight
- Chronic cough
- Change in bowel or bladder habits
Specifically for gynecologic malignancies any kind of abnormal vaginal bleeding should be a warning sign to seek health care and more information.
Have treatment options for cancer changed significantly in the past decade?
I would say with regard to gynecologic cancers, they have. We're definitely trying new, different types of therapies; new chemotherapies, more directed targeted therapeutics. We have a large number of clinical trials open at the University and we combine that with newer radiation and surgical techniques to improve the survival and overall outlook for women with gynecologic cancers.
Who will be presenting with you at tomorrow night's event?
I will be there. I'm a gynecologic oncologist and I'm going to give a brief overview of the main types of gyn cancers that we see—again, uterine, cervix, and ovary—and give people some information about that.
Carol Scott-Conner, MD, PhD, a breast surgeon is going to give an update on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Kimberly Leslie, MD, a uterine cancer specialist, will present information about treatment therapeutic options for women with uterine cancer and how the basic science laboratory can interface with clinical medicine.
When and where is the Health for Your Lifetime going to be?
The event will be in the East Room (Elevator F, Level 8) at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Is this event free to the public?
Absolutely. We encourage anyone interested in learning about women's health care—specifically about cancer—to come. People can register online at www.uihealthcare.com/register or call 335-8886 or 877-MED-IOWA.
Who would you and your colleagues like to see attending this seminar?
We would love for as many people as possible to come for information. It's not y limited to women. Anybody can come. Spouses and significant others are always welcome because this is a large health problem. We want to get the word out on how to better take care of cancers in women, so we encourage anybody who has any kind of interest at all to attend. It will be very informational—very educational. |
