Kern Family Health Care | Family Health | Fall 2019

FAMILY HEALTH 2 KFHC office address: 2900 Buck Owens Blvd., Bakersfield, CA 93308 Links for Life—know your body Part of Links for Life’s mission is to challenge each woman in Kern County to be aware of her breast health. Many know the common breast cancer symptoms: lump or pain in breast, change in breast size or shape, or nipple discharge/ inversion. But there are several lesser-known symptoms: changes in skin texture, lumps, thickening, pain or swelling in your armpit and around your collar bone, or a rash/crusting of the nipple area. It is not uncommon for someone without a family history of breast cancer to develop the illness. Know your body. Conduct a monthly self-breast exam. For more information, visit linksforlife.org . Preventing cancer in women Cervical cancer Safe sex can reduce your chances of getting some types of cancer. In addition, cervical cancer screenings and the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine are the two best ways to prevent cervical cancer. Stopping cervical cancer with screening. Doctors use the Pap test and the HPV test to screen for changes in cells of the cervix before it becomes cancer. Both tests are simple and fast. Talk to your doctor about how often you should get screened. Taking a shot at cervical cancer. Some HPV can cause cervical cancers. HPV is spread through sexual contact. The HPV vaccine can prevent some cancers. The vaccine should be given at age 11 or 12 for both boys and girls. But men and women 26 and younger can still get the vaccine. The vaccine can also protect against other cancers, like anal, throat and penile cancer. Endometrial cancer Endometrial cancer is cancer of the lining of the uterus. Ways to reduce risk: y  y Get to and stay at a healthy weight. y  y Be physically active. y  y Discuss hormone therapy with your doctor. y  y Treat endometrial problems (think unusual bleeding). y  y Talk to your doctor about Lynch syndrome. Diagnosing endometrial cancer. There are currently no screening tests when women have no symptoms. y  y Talk to your doctor about any unusual bleeding. Based on a few factors, your doctor may suggest further testing to detect this cancer. Sources: American Cancer Society; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Cancer Institute; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Keeping an eye on prostate cancer Prostate cancer is a common cancer among men in the United States. It is most common in older men. When the disease is caught early , the patient can choose: y  y Option 1: Treat the disease right away. Or, y  y Option 2: Monitor it and treat it if the cancer starts to grow (active surveillance). Talk to your doctor about these options. Both have pros and cons. In some cases, treatment is the only option. If prostate cancer is caught late, ask your doctor about treatment options. Sources: American Society for Clinical Oncology; American Urological Association; National Cancer Institute