Stage III cervical cancer survivor: Why I no longer skip my well-woman exams
When I was diagnosed with stage III cervical cancer this past spring, it came as a shock. I hadn’t been feeling well for several months, but I never expected it to be cancer. There’s absolutely no history of that disease in my family.
Before my diagnosis, I rode about 30 horses a day as a professional trainer. But I’ve been working in this field for more than 20 years. So, I attributed the hip pain I’d been feeling...
HPV vaccine: What age is too late?
Nearly 80% of men and women get the human papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in their lives, mainly through intimate skin-to-skin contact....
10 cancer symptoms women shouldn't ignore
If you’re a relatively healthy young woman, cancer may not even be on your radar yet. But it should be, regardless of your age or family history...
When should you worry about your menstrual cycle?
Abnormal vaginal bleeding can be a symptom of several gynecologic cancers, including cervical, endometrial (uterine) and vaginal. But if you’ve never had a regular menstrual period, you might not know what "abnormal" means.
What constitutes a “normal” menstrual period? How many days should you expect to bleed, and how much time should elapse between each cycle? And, when should you be concerned enough about any...
Demystifying the well-woman: What to expect during this annual exam
If you’ve never had a well-woman exam before, you might be wondering what to expect. Is it similar to an annual physical? Which parts of your...
Committed to making cervical cancer screening easier
When it comes to eliminating cervical cancer, prevention and screening are vital. Behavioral science and cancer researcher Jane Montealegre...
6 pap smear questions, answered
It's a procedure that goes by many names: Pap smear, Papanicolaou test, Pap test, cytology or simply a ‘Pap.’
At MD Anderson, we refer...
I have HPV. Now what?
We all hope the awkwardness is over after we get our Pap and HPV tests. So hearing that you have tested positive for HPV can be a blow...
HPV tests with self-collection: What to know
This month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved self-collection to test for HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer. As a researcher...
5 precancerous conditions and what you can do about them
You may already know that some types of colon polyps can develop into colorectal cancer. Or, that cervical dysplasia can sometimes lead to...