Press Release

Washington Regional

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September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month
Free Gynecological Cancer Screenings Offered

(Fayetteville, AR) September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month. On Saturday, September 30, Washington Regional Specialty Clinic and the Cancer Support Home will provide a free cervical cancer screening (PAP smear).

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Due to limited space, appointments are required. Screenings will be at the Washington Regional Specialty Clinic at 82 Sunbridge Drive in Fayetteville from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Please call the Cancer Support Home in Fayetteville at (479) 521-8024 to schedule an appointment.

Spanish interpreters will be available, and Spanish-speaking women may leave a message at 713-7921 to schedule an appointment.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that in 2006, about 9,710 cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. Some researchers estimate that noninvasive cervical cancer is about 4 times more common than invasive cervical cancer. About 3,700 women will die from cervical cancer in the United States during 2006. Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. Between 1955 and 1992, the number of cervical cancer deaths in the United States dropped by 74%. The main reason for this change is the increased use of the Pap test.

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This screening procedure can find changes in the cervix before cancer develops. It can also find early cancer in its most curable stage. Studies that have identified risk factors associated with cervical cancer have shown that cervical cancer is closely linked to:
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection
• Immunosuppressive disorders such as HIV/AIDS
• Failure to receive regular Pap test screening

The ACS, National Cancer Institute, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, and others recommend that annual Pap testing should:
• Begin at the onset of sexual activity or at age 18,
• And less frequently at the discretion of the doctor and patient after three or more annual tests have been normal.

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Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women (not counting skin cancer). It ranks fifth as the cause of cancer death in women. The ACS estimates that there will be about 20,180 new cases of ovarian cancer in this country in 2006 and approximately 15,310 women will die this year because of the disease. Around two-thirds of women with ovarian cancer are 55 or older. It is slightly more common in white women than in African-American women.
By seeing your health care provider regularly, you can identify the risk factors that are associated with gynecological cancers. Take charge of your health and call (479) 521-8024 to schedule an appointment today.

For more information regarding cancer screenings and education, call (479) 271-2257 in Bentonville, or
(479) 521-8024 in Fayetteville, or visit the Washington Regional website at www.wregional.com.

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