.
Being lesbian or bisexual does not directly influence
the frequency of these cancers. But there are
certain risk factors that are particularly prevalent
among women who love women. For that reason, it’s
important to be informed.
Loving yourself as a lesbian or bisexual woman also
means taking care of yourself and watching your health!
For all women who love women...
... are you at higher risk of developing
breast or cervical cancer?
Why should you read this brochure?
¦ Lesbians and bisexual women fear homophobic reactions, or use contraception less frequently,
and therefore are less likely to see medical professionals and often hesitate to talk about their
emotional or sexual lives. They are also less likely than other women to undergo screening
examinations (mammograms or pap smears) that would allow early detection of possible breast
or cervical cancer.
¦ Because of social and family pressures, lesbians and bisexual women can sometimes feel
depressed and pay less attention to their health.
¦ Some studies have shown that lesbians and bisexual women are more reluctant to regularly
self-examine their breasts.
¦ On average, lesbians and bisexual women are less likely to have children before the age
of 30, which increases the risk of breast cancer.
¦ Certain studies indicate that lesbians or bisexual women can occasionally overindulge in alcohol
and tobacco. They may also become overweight. This increases the risk of breast cancer or
cervical cancer.
Lesbian and bisexual women who do not struggle with these speci.c risk factors have
exactly the same probability of developing cancer as heterosexual women.
This brochure is the result of a project coordinated in French and in Dutch by ILGA, the International Lesbian and
Gay Association, with the Belgian Foundation Against Cancer and the help of Belgian lesbian groups.
Copyright ILGA 2006.
Breast Cancer
Risk Factors
¦ Being a woman, especially if you are over 50 years old.
¦ Having had one or more cases of breast cancer in your family.
¦ Having certain non-cancerous abnormalities in your breasts.
¦ Not having a child or having had your .rst child after the age of 30.
¦ Menstruating before the age of 12.
¦ Going through menopause after the age of 52.
¦ Taking hormones for several years after going through menopause.
¦ Drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages.
¦ Gaining weight after menopause.
¦ Having a sedentary lifestyle (with little sports or physical activity).
But remember: Breast cancer often affects women who do not display any particular risk
factors. Likewise, having one or more of these predispositions does not mean that you will
automatically develop the disease!
What should you do?
Every woman can take three complementary precautions:
¦ Change your lifestyle if necessary (take advantage of physical activities, avoid
obesity, limit your consumption of alcohol to a maximum of one glass per day).
¦ Regularly self-examine your breasts from the age of 25.
¦ Undergo screenings with mammograms from the age of 50.
Self-Examination
¦ From the age of 25, each month, ideally one week after menstruation.
¦ Pay attention to the look of both breasts.
¦ Watch for any changes in your breasts compared to the previous month.
If you .nd abnormalities, it does not automatically mean that you have cancer, but it is still necessary
to see your doctor even if you were screened recently.
Once a year, ask your general practitioner or gynecologist to examπine your breasts (a visual and physical examination).
Screening
Screening is performed with a mammogram, also called a Mammotest.
This x-ray of the breasts allows detection of potential cancers well before they become visible
or palpable, which strongly increases the likelihood of treating them successfully.
Another advantage is that discovering cancers when they are still very small increases the likelihood
that the breast can be preserved. In some countries, the screening is free for
women from the age of 50.
Cervical Cancer
Risk Factors
¦ A chronic infection by certain strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is transmissible through sexual contact between women.
¦ The use of tobacco.
Traces of a chronic HPV infection can be found in approximately 90% of cervical cancers.
Whoever has (or has had) sexual contact with other persons, regardless of their
sex, may be a carrier of HPV. More than 50% of women “encounter” the virus
over the course of their sex life.
Fortunately, the majority of HPV viruses are incapable of developing into cancers. The typical
mode of transmission is direct contact with the genital organs or the mouth of an infected person.
Sometimes, these viruses produce warts on the genital organs, the anus, or (more rarely) on the mouth. But generally, the infection goes unnoticed and spontaneously heals within two years. Since there are often no symptoms, it is impossible to say exactly when a person was infected. You can carry HPV without knowing it and without ever
noticing anything abnormal. The majority of these viruses do not heighten
your risk for cancer. But if certain strains of HPV survive near the cervix, they can foster the development of cervical cancer after a number of years.
What should you do?
¦ Avoid smoke or stop smoking. It is generally bene.cial for your health and lowers your risk
of developing cervical cancer.
¦ Undergo screenings.
¦ If you notice small amounts of blood by the vagina (between your periods, after menopause,
or following sexual intercourse), often accompanied by painless vaginal discharge, consult
your doctor.
Most Important:
Screening Examinations
The examination is done by taking a smear of the cervix. The doctor removes some cells from the uterine collar with a spatula or small brush, then examines them with a microscope. The sampling is painless and is done between periods.
The screening requires the use of a speculum (the cervix is not directly accessible during an
examination of the external genital organs).
¦ All women should begin screenings within a year of their .rst sexual encounter (whether
with a man or a woman).
¦ After the .rst normal pap smear, a second smear will be done to con.rm results one year later.
¦ If the second pap smear is also normal, additional smears will be repeated every three
years, until at least the age of 65. If the routine is interrupted, it is repeated from the beginning.
If an abnormality is discovered under the microscope, a second smear or another thorough
examination is immediately conducted to con.rm the results.
If a pre-cancerous lesion (dysplasia) is discovered during the smears, a targeted treatment
makes it possible to prevent it from developing into cancer.
If the beginning of a cancer is discovered thanks to the screening, the treatment will be more
effective and contained since the illness has been detected at an early stage.
Being lesbian or bisexual does not directly influence
the frequency of these cancers. But there are
certain risk factors that are particularly prevalent
among women who love women. For that reason, it’s
important to be informed.
Loving yourself as a lesbian or bisexual woman also
means taking care of yourself and watching your health!
For all women who love women...
... are you at higher risk of developing
breast or cervical cancer?
Why should you read this brochure?
¦ Lesbians and bisexual women fear homophobic reactions, or use contraception less frequently,
and therefore are less likely to see medical professionals and often hesitate to talk about their
emotional or sexual lives. They are also less likely than other women to undergo screening
examinations (mammograms or pap smears) that would allow early detection of possible breast
or cervical cancer.
¦ Because of social and family pressures, lesbians and bisexual women can sometimes feel
depressed and pay less attention to their health.
¦ Some studies have shown that lesbians and bisexual women are more reluctant to regularly
self-examine their breasts.
¦ On average, lesbians and bisexual women are less likely to have children before the age
of 30, which increases the risk of breast cancer.
¦ Certain studies indicate that lesbians or bisexual women can occasionally overindulge in alcohol
and tobacco. They may also become overweight. This increases the risk of breast cancer or
cervical cancer.
Lesbian and bisexual women who do not struggle with these speci.c risk factors have
exactly the same probability of developing cancer as heterosexual women.
This brochure is the result of a project coordinated in French and in Dutch by ILGA, the International Lesbian and
Gay Association, with the Belgian Foundation Against Cancer and the help of Belgian lesbian groups.
Copyright ILGA 2006.
Breast Cancer
Risk Factors
¦ Being a woman, especially if you are over 50 years old.
¦ Having had one or more cases of breast cancer in your family.
¦ Having certain non-cancerous abnormalities in your breasts.
¦ Not having a child or having had your .rst child after the age of 30.
¦ Menstruating before the age of 12.
¦ Going through menopause after the age of 52.
¦ Taking hormones for several years after going through menopause.
¦ Drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages.
¦ Gaining weight after menopause.
¦ Having a sedentary lifestyle (with little sports or physical activity).
But remember: Breast cancer often affects women who do not display any particular risk
factors. Likewise, having one or more of these predispositions does not mean that you will
automatically develop the disease!
What should you do?
Every woman can take three complementary precautions:
¦ Change your lifestyle if necessary (take advantage of physical activities, avoid
obesity, limit your consumption of alcohol to a maximum of one glass per day).
¦ Regularly self-examine your breasts from the age of 25.
¦ Undergo screenings with mammograms from the age of 50.
Self-Examination
¦ From the age of 25, each month, ideally one week after menstruation.
¦ Pay attention to the look of both breasts.
¦ Watch for any changes in your breasts compared to the previous month.
If you .nd abnormalities, it does not automatically mean that you have cancer, but it is still necessary
to see your doctor even if you were screened recently.
Once a year, ask your general practitioner or gynecologist to examπine your breasts (a visual and physical examination).
Screening
Screening is performed with a mammogram, also called a Mammotest.
This x-ray of the breasts allows detection of potential cancers well before they become visible
or palpable, which strongly increases the likelihood of treating them successfully.
Another advantage is that discovering cancers when they are still very small increases the likelihood
that the breast can be preserved. In some countries, the screening is free for
women from the age of 50.
Cervical Cancer
Risk Factors
¦ A chronic infection by certain strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is transmissible through sexual contact between women.
¦ The use of tobacco.
Traces of a chronic HPV infection can be found in approximately 90% of cervical cancers.
Whoever has (or has had) sexual contact with other persons, regardless of their
sex, may be a carrier of HPV. More than 50% of women “encounter” the virus
over the course of their sex life.
Fortunately, the majority of HPV viruses are incapable of developing into cancers. The typical
mode of transmission is direct contact with the genital organs or the mouth of an infected person.
Sometimes, these viruses produce warts on the genital organs, the anus, or (more rarely) on the mouth. But generally, the infection goes unnoticed and spontaneously heals within two years. Since there are often no symptoms, it is impossible to say exactly when a person was infected. You can carry HPV without knowing it and without ever
noticing anything abnormal. The majority of these viruses do not heighten
your risk for cancer. But if certain strains of HPV survive near the cervix, they can foster the development of cervical cancer after a number of years.
What should you do?
¦ Avoid smoke or stop smoking. It is generally bene.cial for your health and lowers your risk
of developing cervical cancer.
¦ Undergo screenings.
¦ If you notice small amounts of blood by the vagina (between your periods, after menopause,
or following sexual intercourse), often accompanied by painless vaginal discharge, consult
your doctor.
Most Important:
Screening Examinations
The examination is done by taking a smear of the cervix. The doctor removes some cells from the uterine collar with a spatula or small brush, then examines them with a microscope. The sampling is painless and is done between periods.
The screening requires the use of a speculum (the cervix is not directly accessible during an
examination of the external genital organs).
¦ All women should begin screenings within a year of their .rst sexual encounter (whether
with a man or a woman).
¦ After the .rst normal pap smear, a second smear will be done to con.rm results one year later.
¦ If the second pap smear is also normal, additional smears will be repeated every three
years, until at least the age of 65. If the routine is interrupted, it is repeated from the beginning.
If an abnormality is discovered under the microscope, a second smear or another thorough
examination is immediately conducted to con.rm the results.
If a pre-cancerous lesion (dysplasia) is discovered during the smears, a targeted treatment
makes it possible to prevent it from developing into cancer.
If the beginning of a cancer is discovered thanks to the screening, the treatment will be more
effective and contained since the illness has been detected at an early stage.
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