Both cervical and breast cancers take years to develop and may not cause pain or other symptoms to alert you until it is very advanced. If cervical cancer is discovered in the early stages, it is almost 100% curable. If breast cancer is discovered before it has spread to other parts of your body, the 5-year survival rate is 97% (meaning that 97% of people are still alive five years later). There are two main tests for these cancers: the Pap smear test for cervical cancer and the mammogram for breast cancer.

Have your first Pap smear test when you turn 21, or sooner if you are sexually active.

During a Pap smear, your doctor will look at your cervix and take a small sample of cells to send to a lab. Some women feel a slight cramping sensation when their cervix is touched. The Pap smear is extremely important for finding abnormalities in the cells in the cervix; these may be signs of infection or disease.

Have your first mammogram when you turn 40.

A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. During a mammogram, your breast is placed between two plates and compressed. Sometimes this can be uncomfortable, but it only lasts a few seconds and is necessary to take a good picture.

What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease that happens when cells in part of your body begin to grow out of control. These cells are abnormal because the DNA has been damaged. DNA is what tells a cell how to grow and what to do in your body. Often these abnormal cells will spread to other parts of your body and start growing there (metastasis). Each type of cancer acts differently and requires different treatment. Cancer is usually named after the part of the body where it develops.

Why am I at risk?

Two main reasons why you are at risk--especially for breast and cervical cancers--are that you are a woman and you are growing older. Your risk increases more if you have a family history of cancer, you have been exposed to STDs or you do not have any children. Your risk may increase even higher if you smoke, are overweight or do not exercise.

What types of cancer am I at risk for?

Vietnamese women should be especially concerned about cervical cancer and breast cancer. Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb). Breast cancer is cancer of the breast. Most breast cancers form in ducts, the passages that carry milk from lobules (milk-producing glands) to the nipples.