Cancer awareness
A Girls Night In is a brilliant cause not only to raise money but for cancer awareness, support and prevention.
Cancer Council’s prevention message for most women’s cancers is to be aware of your own body and body parts.
- If you notice any unusual changes see your doctor. If your doctor recommends any screening tests do it straight away.
- Don’t wait.
- Cancer is a disease of the body's building blocks - or cells.
- Cancer happens when genes become damaged and the cells begin to grow abnormally and out of control. Cancer isn't one single disease, but a range of diseases in which abnormal cells multiply and spread out of control affecting a range of body organs.
- Cancer prevention is often about awareness and finding reliable information.
Breast cancer
Breast cancer starts in the ducts or lobules of the breast. Cells lining the ducts or lobules can grow out of control and develop into cancer.
Some breast cancers are found when they are still confined to the ducts or lobules of the breast. This is called pre-invasive breast cancer. The most common types are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ.
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumour in one or both ovaries. It is often called a silent disease because the symptoms can be vague.
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is a malignant tumour in the tissues of the cervix.
The two main types of cervical cancer are named after the type of cell from which they originate.
- Squamous cell carcinoma-- the most common, accounting for 80% of all cervical cancers. It starts in the squamous or skin-like cells of the cervix.
- Adenocarcinoma-- a less common type of cervical cancer, which develops from the glandular cells. This type is more difficult to diagnose because it starts higher in the cervix and is more difficult to reach with the brush or spatula used in taking a Pap test.
Vaginal cancer
Primary vaginal cancer: The two main types of primary vaginal cancers are named after the cells from which they develop.
Squamous cell carcinoma:
- The most common type of vaginal.
- Usually found in the upper part of the vagina.
- Most commonly affects women who are 50-70 years old
Adenocarcinoma:
- Usually affects women under 20 years of age but occasionally occurs in other age groups.
Other types of vaginal cancer that are very rare include melanoma, small cell carcinoma, sarcoma and lymphoma.
Secondary vaginal cancer: Secondary cancers in the vagina (those that have spread from other parts of the body) are more common than primary vaginal cancer.
Secondary cancers usually come from the cervix, the lining of the womb (the endometrium), the vulva or from nearby organs such as the bladder or bowel.
Vulvar cancer
Squamous cell carcinoma
Most (90%) cancers of the vulva develop from the squamous cells in the vulva. Squamous cell cancers usually grow very slowly over a few years.
Vulvar melanoma
Melanomas develop from the melanin, the pigment-producing cells that give the skin its colour.
This is the second most common type of vulvar cancer, but is much less common than the squamous cell type. Only about 4% of vulvar cancers are melanoma.
Adenocarcinoma
These are very rare. Adenocarcinoma of the vulva develops from cells that line glands in the vulvar skin. Paget’s disease of the vulva is a pre-malignant condition where glandular cells spread out from these glands and across the skin of the vulva.
Verrucous carcinoma
This is a rare, very slow-growing type of vulvar cancer, which looks like a large wart.
Sarcomas
These are extremely rare. Sarcomas develop from cells in tissue, such as muscle or fat under the skin, and tend to grow more quickly than other types of cancer.
Uterine cancer
1. Endometrial cancer
- Affects the lining of the uterus (endometrium).
- About three-quarters of uterine cancers- called adenocarcinomas.
Other types of endometrial cancers include:
- adenosquamous carcinoma
- serous carcinoma
- clear cell carcinoma
These types of cancer grow more rapidly and are typically more aggressive than adenocarcinoma.
2. Uterine sarcomas
- Affect the smooth muscle tissue of uterus (myometrium) or the connective tissue (stroma).
- More likely to spread rapidly.
- The three types of uterine sarcomas are:
- endometrial stromal sarcoma
- mixed Müllerian sarcoma
- leiomyosarcoma.
If you have specific question about cancer and your body you should seek advice from your doctor.
Every dollar and every conversation counts. Everyone can help.
For more fund raising ideas on how to host your girls night in, click here.
