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Home › Articles › Grandparent Health › Take Charge of Your Health

Take Charge of Your Health

7 Tests for Every Woman

By Teri Brown

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What It Is: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. There are three types of skin cancer: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Causes and Symptoms: The No. 1 cause of skin cancer is overexposure to the sun and often is signaled by a change in the skin such as a bump that does not go away, a sore that does not heal or an area that develops a crust.

Testing Schedule: Women should perform skin self-examination on a regular basis, looking for changes in the skin, including moles and warts. If an abnormality is identified, talk to your health care provider. Between the ages of 20 to 39, adults should receive a skin exam by a doctor every three years. After age 40, adults should receive an annual skin exam.

How the Test Is Done: Skin cancer is most common on the head, face, neck and shoulders. A doctor, trained to see abnormalities, can do this fairly quickly. If you have suspicious moles on other parts of your body, this is a good time for them to be examined as well.

Osteoporosis
What It Is: Osteoporosis is a disease that robs bones of their density and causes them to become thin and porous. It occurs most often in women age 65 and older, though it can also occur at a younger age.

Causes and Symptoms: Osteoporosis is a natural part of aging and only becomes a problem when bone density is low to begin with and enough calcium isn't supplied to continue to build new bone mass as you age. The symptoms include back pain, loss of height, stooped posture and a curved hump in the upper back.

Test Schedule: Women age 65 and older should have a baseline bone mineral density test to determine if they have osteoporosis.

How the Test Is Done: First a general physical is done and your height will be measured and compared to previous measurements. If your health care examiner suspects you may have osteoporosis, a bone mineral density test may be required. There are several different types of bone density tests available, ranging from an ultrasound to various low radiation X-ray tests.

Breast Cancer
What It Is: Breast cancer occurs when malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast.

Causes and Symptoms:

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