Cancers that affect women
Breast cancer and gynaecological cancers (cancers affecting the female reproductive organs) are not the only types of cancers that affect women. After breast cancer, the most common types of cancers that affect women living in Western Australia (WA) are bowel cancer, melanoma, and lung cancer.
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. Each year, more than 1,200 women in WA are diagnosed with breast cancer. Age, previous history, family history and lifestyle factors are important risk factors. There is a greater chance of being treated successfully when breast cancer is detected early.
Find out more about breast cancer.
Bowel cancer
In WA in 2008, 526 women were diagnosed with bowel cancer and 187 died from the disease. There are steps women can take to reduce their risk of bowel cancer, such as maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, eating a healthy diet and drinking less alcohol. Like most cancers, bowel cancer can be treated more effectively if detected early.
Find out more about bowel cancer.
Skin cancers
Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is the second most common cancer in WA women aged 15-39 years, and remains in the top five most common cancers in women over 40 years.
Your risk of developing skin cancer increases if you have fair skin, light hair of eyes, suffered sunburn in the past, have a large number of freckles or moles, have a family or personal history of skin cancer, work or spend a lot of time in the sun, or have used a solarium. With adequate use of sun protection, skin cancer is largely preventable.
Find out more about skin cancers.
Lung cancer
Despite being a mostly preventable disease, lung cancer is still one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and the leading cause of cancer deaths among WA women. In WA in 2008, 382 women were diagnosed with lung cancer and 290 died from the disease. Most cases of lung cancer can be attributed to cigarette smoking.
Gynaecological cancers
Below is a list of cancers that can develop within the female reproductive system. Gynaecological cancers can occur in women of all ages, but they are most common in women over the age of 50.
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable of all cancers. Even so, in 2008 in WA there were 98 new diagnoses of cervical cancer and 11 deaths recorded. Certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), a common viral infection, have been identified as the biggest risk factor for cervical cancer. The types of HPV that can increase risk of cervical cancer are typically transmitted through sexual activity.
Ovarian cancer
Because it is difficult to detect in its early stages, there are more deaths from ovarian cancer than any other gynaecological cancer. In WA in 2008, 110 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 79 died from the disease. A family history of ovarian cancer may increase your risk. Having few or no pregnancies, early age at first period and/or late menopause increases the amount of eostrogen you are exposed to over your lifetime, which can in turn increase your risk of ovarian cancer.
Uterine cancer
Uterine (womb) cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer, with 167new cases in WA in 2008. Having few or no pregancies, early age at first period and/or late menopause increases your lifetime exposure to eostrogen, which may in turn increase your risk of uterine cancer. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and tamoxifen (a drug sometimes used to treat breast cancer) have also been linked to increased risk of developing uterine cancer.
Vaginal cancer
In WA in 2008, 13 women were diagnosed with vaginal cancer and seven died from the disease. It is not fully knwon what increases a women's risk of vaginal cancer, but it is thought that HPV may be linked to the development of vaginal cancer.
Vulval cancer
In WA in 2008, 23 women were diagnosed with vulval cancer and eight died from the disease. It is not fully known what increases a women's risk of vulval cancer, but it is thought HPV may be linked to the development of vulvar cancer. Smoking and having a previous gynaecological cancer can also increase risk.
