Women's Cancer: Five Silent Killers

“You have cancer.” Three little words that will change your life forever. Though cancer remains the leading cause of death among Minnesotans (nearly 10,000 each year), it doesn’t need to be a death sentence. There is more hope than ever for those diagnosed with the devastating disease.

In fact, the survival rate of cancer patients is consistently increasing with advanced research and better technology, plus more people recognize the ways in which lifestyle habits affect their chances of becoming sick. A release by The American Cancer Society, the Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System, and the Minnesota Cancer Alliance reports “one-third of cancer deaths would be prevented if no one smoked cigarettes or used tobacco products, and another third of deaths from cancer could be prevented if we maintained a healthy weight, ate a healthy diet, and exercised regularly.”

We uncover some of the more common cancers among Minnesota women—breast, cervical, ovarian, lung, and skin—through our four-week health series in order to help you understand and cope with different forms of the disease. Learn from local doctors and specialists about the preventative measures you should take, symptoms of specific diseases, local treatment options, the latest research, and what you can do to help the fight against cancer in Minnesota.

Week 1: Breast Cancer »
Week 2: Cervical and Ovarian Cancers »
Week 3: Lung Cancer »
Week 4: Skin Cancer »