World Cancer Day: These are the 5 most common types of cancer in women

Cancer has become one of the most frequently diagnosed illnesses across the globe in the past decade. This fatal disease is spreading at an extremely fast pace. As per World Health Organisation (WHO) data, cancer is the second leading cause of death, which is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. About 1 in 6 deaths across the globe happen due to cancer. In India alone, more than 11 Lakh people are diagnosed with this deadly disease every year and around 25 Lakh people are currently living with it.

There are more than 100 different types of cancer, but the most common of all among women is breast cancer, while men are mostly diagnosed with oral cancer. Smoking and tobacco intake alone causes approximately 22 per cent of cancer deaths. At a time when the world is under the grip of this fatal disease, it becomes even more important to spread awareness about cancer. Here, we will tell you the 5 most common types of cancer in women and signs to spot them.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. The cancerous cell begins in the specialised cells that make up the pigment to give our skin its original colour (melanin). The abnormal growth of the cells mostly develops on the skin exposed to the Sun, like scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands. Squamous cell carcinoma occurs on sun-exposed areas of your body, which may appear like a firm, red nodule or a flat lesion with a scaly, crusted surface.

The formation of the cancerous cells in the breasts is the second most common type of cancer in women. As per data, every 1 in 8 women can develop this type of cancer once in her lifetime. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it is more common in females. The symptoms may include a lump in the breast, change in its size, shape or appearance, peeling or scaling of skin surrounding the nipple and redness of the skin over your breast.

The number of lung cancer cases among women has risen considerably in the last four decades. The cancerous cells begin to multiply rapidly in the lungs and spread to other parts. Smoking is surely one of the most common causes of this type of cancer, but it has been found that more than half of the women diagnosed with lung cancer never smoked. The most common signs of lung cancer include coughing up blood, breathlessness, chest pain, weight loss, headache, bone pain.

Endometrial cancer begins in the lining of the womb or uterus and is also known as uterine cancer. Other types of cancer can also develop in the uterus, including uterine sarcoma, but they are less common than endometrial cancer. Postmenopausal women are predominantly affected by this type of cancer. The symptoms of endometrial cancer may include vaginal bleeding after menopause, bleeding between periods and pelvic pain.

Thyroid cancer develops in the cells of the thyroid, which is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck. This gland is responsible for producing hormones responsible for the proper functioning of the body. This type of cancer might not cause any symptoms at first, but as the cancer cells grow, it may cause pain and swelling in your neck. Common symptoms of Thyroid cancer are a lump on your neck, changes to your voice and difficulty swallowing.