Supervisory Leaders
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Gynecologic cancers are like houseguests. Some, cervical and endometrial cancers, call first and with early detection and treatment leave promptly. Others, like ovarian cancer, show up at the door without warning, with their luggage in tow, no plans for leaving, and few options for the unsuspecting host. Ovarian cancer has few early symptoms, so it's often detected at a stage when it is less treatable and widespread. But no matter what guest arrives at the door, women need to be encouraged to come out from behind the curtains and confront these cancers head on.
"It's important to impress upon all of our female patients that the most common gynecological cancers, cervical and endometrial, can be detected and treated at early stages," says Mary Ann Geary, RNC, MSN, NPC, advanced practice nurse in gynecology oncology at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey. "Nurses in all settings need to educate their female patients about the importance of regular gynecologic exams, screening tests, and the abnormal signs and symptoms that need to be reported. These tests and exams are quick and painless, take 30 minutes, and find problems at a time when steps can be taken to prevent the disease from progressing."
The Case for Screening Cervical Cancer
Women need to know that screenings do make a difference. In the 1940s, before the use of the Pap smear, 15,000 women died annually from cervical cancer...