Ovarian cancer rates have remained stable. Detection and treatment for cervical cancer has improved. In this video, Nimesh Nagarsheth, MD, a gynecolgic oncologist at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, discusses the two most common gynecological cancers.
ovarian cancer is relatively steady. In the United States it's estimated in 2012 approximately 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed. Approximately, 15,500 people will die from ovarian cancer in 2012 in the United States. That's been relatively steady over the last several years. Cervical cancer for example is one that has had incredible and vast improvement in terms of survival and incidents, and that's not surprising because the pap smear has been successfully implemented in the care of patients in the United States and it's a excellent screening tool; and we've realized between the pap smear and the HPV human papillomavirus vaccination we are really able to almost eradicate cervical cancer in the United States. While some third world countries remain to have a very high incidence of cervical cancer and it remains a very significant public health problem.
In the United States cervical cancer is one of the cancers that we've almost been able to eliminate completely, and most of the people that do develop cervical cancer in the United States are people that haven't followed up with their physicians, people that haven't had regular medical care, pap smears, vaccinations, preventive treatments out that are now available.
Experts weigh in with the latest information about ovarian cancer prevention and treatment, including how to spot the symptoms of ovarian cancer and why taking birth control pills may reduce your risk for ovarian cancer.
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