Cancer in Women and Screening

A common cancer causing death for women is lung cancer. Most are due to cigarette smoking. Other cancers that can be caused by smoking include cancers of the esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, uterine cervix and acute myeloid leukemia. Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke have a 20-30% increased lung cancer risk. Obesity is also a risk for cancer. The following cancers have been associated with being overweight; breast cancer in postmenopausal women, colorectal cancer, esophageal adenocarcinoma, endometrial cancer, cancer of the pancreas and kidneys. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, which are very curable, are the two most common type of skin cancer. The third most common type of skin cancer is melanoma. The majority are caused by exposure to UV light. Tanning salons should be