In the United States, cervical cancer screening usually begins at age 21. Women ages 21 to 29 should generally have a Pap test every three years. From ages 30 to 65, HPV testing is preferred every five years, although other screening options are available. Screening may stop after age 65 for women who have had regular normal results and are not at high risk. Higher risk groups include those who are HIV positive, have a weakened immune system, or were exposed to diethylstilbesterol DES before birth. Cervical cancer is not one of the most common cancers, but it is common in young women, usually affecting those in their early 30s. Once you have cervical cancer, treatment can be difficult and threaten your fertility and your overall health. But it's considered 99.8% preventable, so it's worth keeping up with your cervical screenings.

Melanoma (also known as malignant melanoma) is the most serious type of skin cancer caused by sun exposure. It's serious because the cancer can spread to other organs in the body, so it needs prompt identification and treatment. You can take steps to prevent it, but also keep a watch for any moles or other skin marks that are new, changing or don't look like your other moles. Melanoma is the 5th most common cancer in the US, with almost 100,000 new cases each year. The number of cases has doubled in the last 30 years, and it can occur at any age.

We have all grown more aware of the dangers of sun exposure in recent years, with the threat of sun damage altering our appearance and the risk of skin cancer. There are different types of skin cancer, but there are some rules of thumb to follow for any mole, whether it’s new or existing. Let's take you through when to be concerned.

Leukemia is a type of blood cancer. Although there are different blood cells (white cells, platelets, red blood cells), leukemia generally refers to cancers that affect the white blood cells. White blood cells are essential to fight infections and build up your immune system. When the white cells don’t function as well, our immune defenses become weakened, and we are more susceptible to getting infections, and becoming more unwell from them. Leukemia is fairly common among adults, with over 60,000 new cases diagnosed in the US each year. Age is a big factor, with those aged 65-74 years being more commonly diagnosed. While not many children get cancer, leukemia is one that frequently affects them – it behaves quite differently for them, so we’ll address that elsewhere.

Kidney cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers in the US. Known medically as renal cancer, it is more common in men than women, and it’s rare in people under the age of 50. There are several different types of kidney cancer but the commonest type is known as renal cell cancer. Others include transitional cell cancer, Wilm’s tumors, and clear cell sarcomas that only occur in children. You have two kidneys, one on either side of your tummy (your flanks) and one slightly to the back. Their job is critical in keeping us alive - they balance up the salts (sodium, potassium, and chloride) in our blood and excrete out any excess in urine. They filter out toxins in the urine and balance out fluids by making the urine more concentrated or more watery, depending on what we need. Signs that might alert you to a kidney problem are blood in the urine or a lump in one of your flanks. It’s confirmed with blood tests, urine tests, and scans.