memorial medical center ob gyn :: Article Creator6 Signs Of Cervical Cancer That Can Be Too Easy To Miss
As Diana Pearre, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, tells SELF, it's really difficult to tell cervical cancer-related bleeding and pain from sex apart from other things, like vaginal dryness or even uterine fibroids. But importantly, "bleeding after intercourse should not be happening all the time," she explains. "There are a lot of benign reasons it could be happening, but it's something to report to your doctor—especially if it's something you're experiencing all of a sudden."
2. A wonky menstrual cycle
If you get a period, it can look and feel different from month to month—sometimes it's short and light, or drawn-out and heavy. But as Dr. Avila notes, when your flow is off, your body might be prodding you to listen up. According to Dr. Pearre, it's typically one of the most tell-tale signs of the disease.
If you're bleeding after menopause, between periods, or a lot—soaking through your pad or tampon every one to two hours or your period is lasting longer than seven days—it can sometimes signal cervical cancer. Dr. Avila says it's important to look out for any strange bleeding patterns, particularly if you're skipping periods and then running through pads all of a sudden. She says people who had heavy bleeding and were eventually diagnosed with cervical cancer came to her office and just assumed a change in their diet or taking a new supplement was to blame. "I hear it all the time," she stresses. "If there's any abnormal bleeding, it's important to come in [for an exam]."
3. Unpleasant vaginal discharge
As SELF has previously reported, your vagina cleans itself by releasing discharge—a.K.A. That mucusy fluid that piles on your underwear throughout the day. Yours might have a slight odor that's more fragrant during certain parts of your menstrual cycle or even after a workout. But if the smell is particularly bothersome to you, cervical cancer could potentially be one reason to have on your radar—particularly if it's happening alongside a wonky period, per Dr. Avila.
According to Dr. Pearre, when a person with late-stage cervical cancer has discharge, you won't *not* be able to notice the odor. "It's very foul-smelling," she notes. Though Dr. Pearre says that some STIs, like trichomoniasis and gonorrhea, can present with similar smells, cervical cancer discharge odor is usually worse, Dr. Avila says. "That tumor is trying to get bigger and bigger and there's a lot of dead tissue that's there, and that's what we smell with those kinds of cancers," she notes. Though its smell is often the most defining characteristic, the discharge might be watery, pink, pale, yellowish, brown, or mixed with blood, per Dr. Pearre.
4. Bowel and bladder issues
Similar to how having sex might affect the cervix (and cause pain and bleeding), cancerous cells or tumors can push up against other surrounding stuff, too—and that includes your bladder and bowel. "I see a lot of patients [with cervical cancer] who either need to pee very frequently or have issues starting the stream," Dr. Avila says. Alternatively, she says people who ultimately get diagnosed with cervical cancer complain about constipation, or that they have to really strain to go. "I'll have patients say, 'Oh, I thought I was just constipated and straining too much, or I thought I had a meal that went bad.'" (There could also be blood in your poop or urine, per the National Cancer Institute.)
5. Pain and swelling in various parts of your body
As cervical cancer progresses, you might develop pain in your pelvis, back, belly, or legs. For McClellan, her lower back aches felt similar to period-related cramps.
Milford Hospital Names New Chair For Obstetrics And Gynecology Department
Dr. Mary Kay Myers, a gynecologist and obstetrician at Milford Regional Medical Center, was recently named chair of the hospital's Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.
She succeeds Dr. Leonard DiGiovanni, who served in the position for six years.
Myers' responsibilities include overseeing the direction of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive health throughout the Milford Regional health care system.
Myers
She brings more than 25 years of related experience. Before joining the staff of Milford Regional, Myers primarily practiced at St. Vincent Hospital and performed surgery at UMass Memorial, both in Worcester.
Myers holds a medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School. She completed her residency at Weill Cornell Medical Center's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The New York Hospital, in New York City.
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Brian M. Casaceli and Spencer B. Holland, both attorneys at Mirick O'Connell, were recently elected to partner status.
Casaceli is a partner in the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Group, where he focuses his practice on representing employers in federal and state courts in Massachusetts, as well as before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission in defense of claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and wage payment violations. He also represents employers in wage and hour investigations, and in unfair labor practice proceedings.
Casaceli
He holds a JD (summa cum laude) from Suffolk University Law School and a bachelor's degree from Stonehill College.
Holland is a partner in the Real Estate and Environmental Law Group and the Public and Municipal Law Group. He represents clients buying, selling, financing and leasing commercial real estate. He also has extensive experience in the acquisition and disposition of commercial, industrial, residential and mixed-use properties, as well as the negotiation of office, retail, and solar leases.
Holland
He holds a JD from Boston University School of Law and a bachelor's degree from Bates College.
Mirick O'Connell is a full-service business law firm with offices in Worcester, Westborough and Boston, Massachusetts.
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Rania Kromar Eskandar, of Framingham, recently joined the Framingham office of ERA Key Realty Services as a Realtor.
She moved to Framingham after growing up in Egypt and became certified in medical interpreting before deciding to pursue a career in real estate.
Eskander
Northbridge-based ERA Key Realty Services has 15 offices throughout central and eastern Massachusetts and is among the largest residential real estate agencies in the state.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Myers named chair of Milford Regional obstetrics gynecology department
Prince George's County Leaders Tout Potential New Hospital, Women's Health Center
Prince George's County leaders praised the nearly $40 million in state funding dedicated to new healthcare infrastructure in the county during a press conference this week.
Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, District 9 county council member and vice chair Sydney Harrison and Terry Forde, Adventist HealthCare president and CEO spoke at Monday's event, which took place at Adventist Healthcare's Fort Washington Medical Center.
The speakers boasted the nearly $40 million the county will receive for healthcare services after funding was secured in Maryland's 2024 legislative session.
$10 million of the funds will go toward constructing Adventist Healthcare's medical center in the southern part of Prince George's County, Alsobrooks said.
"This new hospital will be an absolute game changer. It directly meets the needs of South County," Alsobrooks said at the event. "When we address the needs of South County, we strengthen the entire county and region."
[Prince George's County program gives formerly incarcerated citizens a 'second chance']
Alsobrooks said the South County region is considered a "health care desert," which is a community whose health care needs are unmet due to a lack of resources and socioeconomic barriers, according to the European Journal of Public Health.
The hospital aims to reduce the county's geographic inequities, Alsobrooks said during the press conference.
The new medical center also hopes to address the county's significant physician shortage.
According to a 2023 Huron assessment report on the county's health care and social needs, Prince George's County is facing a 62 percent gap in physicians. This leads residents to seek about 42 percent of their health care out of the county, the report said.
The county will need about $2 billion in investment across the next decade or longer to close this gap in healthcare infrastructure, the report said.
Forde said during the event that the new hospital will bring important resources, technology and spaces for physicians.
"[The South County facility] is a first step of a comprehensive plan, and it's an important comprehensive plan to get right," Forde said at the event.
[US Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks promotes student voter turnout at UMD event]
Harrison, a former patient of Fort Washington Medical Center, emphasized the importance of continuing to invest in healthcare infrastructure. Harrison recalled having third-degree burns on his ankle at age 9, which helped him understand the importance of healthcare.
"[The county council] will do all that we can to make sure that we're making that investment," Harrison said.
In addition to the new hospital, about $19 million of the state funding will go towards the Luminis Health women's health tower.
The new health tower will have surgical capacities, inpatient beds and women's and children's services, Alsobrooks said during Monday's event.
The facility aims to bolster the county's obstetrics and gynecology system. Currently, about 75 percent of county residents find obstetrics and gynecology care outside of the county due to a lack of beds and physicians, according to the 2023 Huron assessment report.
"This important funding will benefit women across Maryland by increasing our capacity to provide care," Alsobrooks said.
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