2 ·
My Health
Finding cancer early is the best way to treat it and
beat it. Get the facts to stay healthy and cancer-free.
Here are three important steps every woman
should take:
•
Learn your risk and lifestyle factors.
•
Learn how to prevent breast and cervical cancer.
•
Get regular screenings.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in
women no matter your race or ethnic group.
Be sure to get screenings. Speak to your doctor
about how often you should get them. See the
chart below.
BREAST CANCER FAST FACTS
RISK AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS
SCREENINGS
PREVENTION
•
•
Getting older
•
•
Being overweight
•
•
Drinking alcohol
•
•
Not getting regular exercise
•
•
Having your menstrual period before age 12
•
•
Giving birth to your first child after age 35
•
•
Never giving birth
•
•
Not breastfeeding
•
•
Starting menopause by age 55
•
•
Family or personal history of breast cancer
•
•
Having changes in the breast cancer-related genes BRCA1
or BRCA2
•
•
Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast or chest
•
•
Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy
•
•
Mammogram
•
•
Clinical breast exam
•
•
Breast self-exam
(check your breasts
often for changes
and lumps)
•
•
Get screened for breast
cancer regularly.
•
•
Control your weight and
get exercise.
•
•
Limit the amount of
alcohol you drink.
•
•
Know your family history
of breast cancer.
•
•
Find out the risks and
benefits of hormone
replacement therapy.
CERVICAL CANCER FAST FACTS
RISK AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS
SCREENINGS
PREVENTION
•
•
Smoking
•
•
Using birth control pills for five or more years
•
•
Having given birth to three or more children
•
•
Having HIV infection
•
•
The Pap test, or Pap smear
•
•
Ask your doctor if the human
papillomavirus (HPV) test is
right for you.
•
•
Don’t smoke.
•
•
Use condoms during sex.
•
•
Limit your number of
sexual partners.
Breast and cervical cancer
What all women need to know
One key thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to have regular screenings. Speak to your
doctor about how often you should get them. See the chart below.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Breast and Gynecological Cancers: CDC.gov
New members:
get an initial health exam
Your first exam with the doctor is called an initial
health exam. It’s very important. You and your child
should each get it right away when you enroll. Why?
It helps the doctor:
•
•
Learn about you and your health before you
get sick.
•
•
Look at past or ongoing health issues.
•
•
Go over the drugs you’re taking to make sure
they’re working.
•
•
Tell you what checkups, shots or tests you need.
•
•
Study your family’s medical history.
Call your doctor for an exam today! If you need
help figuring out how to make that first health
exam appointment, call us at
1-888-285-7801
.
If you have hearing or speech loss, call the TTY
line at
1-888-757-6034
.
Keeping your coverage:
don’t wait until it’s too late
When your L.A. Care Health Plan coverage is about to end,
we want to be sure you don’t lose your coverage through
Anthem Blue Cross. Here’s what you should do:
•
•
Carefully read the letter or form you will get from the
Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).
•
•
Look for the due date on the letter/form.
•
•
Note what the DPSS wants you to do.
•
•
Be sure to follow directions and return all materials they
ask for before the due date.
Don’t wait. Fill out your information right away. If you have
questions or need help with re-enrolling, please call us at
1-800-227-3238
or call the DPSS at
1-877-481-1044
.
