Cancer is a life-changing disease, often life-threatening too. While cancer awareness is relatively better at this day and age, as more and more people are sharing their journey, and some are also documenting it to help others. There remain rare cancers too, including gynecologic cancers.

What Are Some Rare Gynaecologic Cancers?

Fallopian tube cancer: It starts in the tubes connecting the ovaries and uterus

Gestational trophoblastic disease: It forms in the layer of cells that encloses an embryo in pregnant women

Primary peritoneal cancer: Forms within the tissue that lines a woman's abdominal and reproductive organs

Uterine sarcoma: Begins in the muscles or soft tissues of the uterus

Vaginal Cancer: Starts in the vagina and spreads to the external genitals

Vulvar Cancer: Affects the outer part of the female genitals

Risk Factors That Could Lead To These Rare Cancers:

• HPV (human papillomavirus)
• Genital warts
• Hysterectomy
• Abnormal cells
• Cervical or other gynecologic cancer
• Smoking
• HIV

Symptoms

It can be detected early with regular pelvic exams and Pap tests. The common symptoms to note for so you can see your doctor are:

• Unusual bleeding or discharge
• Sores, lumps, or growths
• Persistent itching or burning
• Tenderness or pain, especially during sex or urination
• Changes in skin colour
• Constipation or other changes to bowel movements and urination
• Swollen abdomen

How Can It Be Diagnosed?

A pelvic Examination is one of the ways to diagnose it. This is when the doctor looks at the inside of the vagina and cervix. Pressing ovaries and uterus to check for abnormalities is also part of this examination.

During a pap test, the doctor collects cells from the cervix and looks at it under a microscope. In colposcopy, a magnifying device called a colposcope is used to spot suspicious tissue. In a biopsy, a small tissue sample is extracted for analysis under a microscope and a doctor will look for cancer cells. Lastly, MRI or CT scans and ultrasounds can be used as imaging techniques to locate tumours and see if cancer has spread.

Types of Gynecologic Cancers

The most common form of vaginal and vulvar cancer is caused by squamous cell carcinoma, as it makes up to 85-90% of cases. It starts as a precancerous condition called intraepithelial neoplasia in which abnormal skin cells develop in the lining of the vagina and inside the folds of the vulva.

The other type is adenocarcinoma which forms in mucus cells and glands of the vagina and vulva.

Treatments

The treatments include surgery where robotic surgery is used to ensure that minimally invasive technique is used. The techniques allow for smaller incisions, with less pain and faster recovery.

Chemotherapy given by IV through mouth or applied to the skin also kills cancer cells and is sometimes combined with radiation therapy. It can shrink the tumor before surgery, kill cancer cells that are circulating in the body and slow the growth and control any symptoms of advanced cancer.

We have all heard people say that they are old souls trapped in a young body, however, this is a figure of speech people use. While this phrase may mean you like old school things, it can also happen literally. Sometimes your body ages faster than you do, but this is the biological age we are talking about. While chronological aging is counted as the years we have lived, biological age can be faster or slower.

Think of it as perishable food. If you leave them in unfavorable environments, they can spoil fast, becoming edible. However, when you keep them in the correct environment with even temperature, the food will stay edible for longer than it should. Our bodies are similar in that sense. If you take care of it, limiting processed food, exercising and taking care of your health, you will find that your biological age is much slower or healthier than a person who does the opposite. However, what is the connection between biological aging and our lifestyle. How do we age slower/faster depending on our choices.

A new study suggests that signs of faster aging in your body are connected to a higher chance of developing dementia and stroke. Specifically, researchers found that people with shorter telomeres in their white blood cells tend to have an increased risk of these two brain conditions. These findings were published recently in the journal Neurology.

What Are Telomeres and Why Do They Matter?

Think of telomeres as the protective caps on the ends of your chromosomes, much like the plastic tips on shoelaces. They prevent your chromosomes from unraveling and getting damaged. Every time your cells divide, these telomeres get a little shorter. This makes them a useful way to estimate a person's biological age, which is how much wear and tear your body has accumulated from stress over time, rather than just your age in years. Your biological age can be quite different from your actual age.

Lifestyle Habits Can Counter the Risk

However, there's good news: the study found that this link between shorter telomeres and brain diseases wasn't present in people who maintained healthy lifestyle habits. This suggests that even if your body shows signs of faster aging, you can still reduce your risk of age-related brain diseases. This includes things like keeping a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly. These healthy choices can help delay the aging of your cells and lower your chances of developing these conditions, especially if you're already at a higher risk.

Shorter Telomeres, Higher Risk

For this study, researchers looked at genetic data from over 356,000 people. They categorized participants into three groups based on the length of their telomeres: short, medium, or long. They then compared telomere length to people's lifestyle habits and whether they had developed dementia, stroke, or depression.

Over an average of seven years, nearly 26,000 people developed at least one of these three age-related brain diseases. People with the shortest telomeres had significantly more cases of these brain diseases compared to those with the longest telomeres. Overall, after considering other risk factors, individuals with short telomeres were 11% more likely to develop one of these brain diseases. More specifically, they faced an 8% increased risk of stroke, a 19% increased risk of dementia, and a 14% increased risk of late-life dementia.

It's important to remember that this study shows a connection, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship between telomere length and brain health.

Sometimes it feels like our bladder has a mind of its own, ringing the washroom alarm at the most inconvenient times. However, what makes it more difficult is that many people, who have difficulty holding the urge or have any bladder issues, find it very difficult to make it in time.

Have you ever felt a sudden, strong urge to pee right when you see your front door, put your key in the lock, or open your garage? This common experience is called "latchkey incontinence." Researchers believe they've found ways to reduce these sudden urges and bladder leaks triggered by such familiar cues.

A recent study, published in the June issue of Continence, shows that both mindfulness training and brain stimulation helped reduce bladder leaks in people with latchkey incontinence. Bladder leaks can be very distressing. As one researcher explained, "Incontinence is a massive deal." People might avoid social activities or exercise because they worry about accidents, which can lead to loneliness and depression, especially for older adults.

Why Do People Get The Urge To Pee When You See A Bathroom?

Latchkey incontinence is a type of situational urgency incontinence, meaning specific triggers make you feel like you need to urinate right away. Other common triggers include hearing or seeing running water, or walking past a public restroom.

This is similar to Pavlovian conditioning: after years of going to the bathroom once you're inside your house, your body learns to associate certain actions, like opening your front door, with the need to urinate. Earlier research connected latchkey incontinence to a specific part of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This area becomes more active when people are shown their personal triggers. This part of the brain acts like the "executive control center" for your bladder, telling you it's time to go.

What Are the New Testing Treatments?

For this study, researchers wanted to find ways to control this brain response. They worked with 61 women over 40 who experienced situational urgency incontinence. These women were divided into three groups while viewing photos of their personal triggers:

• One group listened to a 20-minute mindfulness exercise.
• Another group received brain stimulation through electrodes placed on their scalp.
• The third group received both mindfulness and brain stimulation.

The mindfulness exercise involved paying attention to different parts of their body, including any bladder sensations. After just four in-office sessions over five or six days, all three groups experienced less urgency and fewer leaks. The improvements were similar to those seen with other treatments like medication or physical therapy for the pelvic floor.

These results are very encouraging because they suggest that tools like mindfulness can be an alternative or an additional way to improve symptoms. Most participants completed the study, and some even sent "thank you cards," showing how much this research meant to them. Incontinence is often a difficult topic to discuss, and many people don't realize that treatments are available. As one researcher said, "You don’t have to suffer in silence."

Next, researchers plan to test the mindfulness therapy in living facilities for seniors and hope to eventually create a smartphone app that can help people manage their symptoms.

With the rising number of cases related to various heart related issues, health anxiety can provoke spiralling thoughts like "what if I am getting a heart attack now" or "can I prevent a heart attack"? If your body is whispering a warning that you can’t afford to ignore it.

In the high-stakes world of heart health, seconds count. Yet many people fail to recognize early warning signs of heart blockages until it's too late. While sophisticated tests like ECGs and angiograms are crucial, what if your own body could offer clues long before a medical emergency unfolds? According to leading cardiac experts, it often does.

So, how can you detect these warning signs without a single test? And what should you do if you're home alone when symptoms strike? A leading heart surgeon breaks it all down for you.

With rising cardiovascular disease rates worldwide—especially among younger adults—being able to identify early red flags of heart blockages from the comfort of your home isn’t just helpful; it could be life-saving. Dr. Jeremy London, a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon from Georgia and a popular voice in the heart health community, is on a mission to teach everyday people how to read their body’s signals and act swiftly in case of a cardiac emergency.

Spotting Heart Blockages Without Medical Tests

Dr. London emphasizes that no blood test or medical scan is a substitute for listening to your own body. “How can you tell that you may have important blockages of the heart arteries without a single blood test, X-ray, or ECG?” he asks. “Well, not surprisingly, you have to listen to your body.”

The human heart often signals distress long before it fails. According to Dr. London, four symptoms deserve immediate attention:

• Chest tightness or discomfort
• Persistent chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Radiating pain to the jaw or arm

What’s critical, he says, is the pattern of these symptoms. “If these sensations worsen with exertion—like walking upstairs or brisk movement—and ease when you rest, that’s a red flag,” he explains. This pattern suggests the presence of a partially blocked artery struggling to meet the heart’s demand for oxygen during physical activity.

Dr. London likens it to a clogged pipe: “Let’s assume you have a blockage in the artery that feeds the front of the heart. When you move, that area becomes blood-starved and you experience symptoms. When you stop and rest, the demand drops, and so do the symptoms.”

What Are Silent Heart Blockages?

Not all heart blockages present textbook symptoms. Many people, especially women, diabetics, and older adults, may have "silent ischemia"—a form of heart disease without obvious discomfort. Dr. London cautions that while the presence of exertion-based chest pain is concerning, the absence of symptoms does not mean your arteries are clear.

This is why annual health checkups and paying close attention to subtle changes in physical endurance or energy levels are essential, especially for individuals over 40 or with a family history of cardiovascular issues.

What To Do If You Suspect a Heart Attack At Home?

If you feel you are experiencing a heart attack while alone at home is a terrifying scenario but there are crucial steps you can take to protect yourself until help arrives.

1. Call 911 Immediately

Time is the most critical factor. Don't wait for the symptoms to go away. Call emergency services without delay.

2. Make Yourself Easy to Find

“If it's nighttime, turn on all your lights—inside and out—so EMS can identify your home quickly,” says Dr. London. He adds, “Unlock or even better, open your front door. If you become incapacitated, responders won’t have to break in or waste time trying to gain entry.”

3. Sit or Lie Down

This reduces the risk of injury if you faint. A fall during a cardiac event could compound the danger with head trauma or bone fractures.

4. Inform Someone You Trust

If you can, alert a friend or family member. Not only can they come to assist, but they can also inform paramedics of your medical history, medications, or allergies if you’re unable to speak.

Dr. London strongly encourages households—especially those with elderly members or individuals at high risk of heart disease—to create a personalized emergency plan. “Preparation can save lives,” he says. Your plan should include:

• Emergency contact numbers
• Access to any prescribed medications like aspirin or nitroglycerin
• Easy access to doors and visible house numbers
• A buddy system or wellness check arrangement if living alone

Can You Prevent Blockages In Your Heart?

Spotting symptoms early is essential but preventing blockages in the first place is even better. A heart-healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce your risk:

Diet: Emphasize fiber-rich, whole foods while limiting saturated fats and processed sugar.

Exercise: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.

Regular checkups: Keep tabs on cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose levels.

Stress management: Chronic stress can raise cortisol and blood pressure, increasing cardiovascular risk.

Quit smoking: Tobacco use narrows arteries and increases plaque buildup.

Heart blockages often give off clues but only if we’re paying attention. Dr. Jeremy London’s insights offer a wake-up call to listen more closely to what our bodies are saying, especially during moments of physical exertion or unexplained fatigue.

Learning how to detect and respond to potential heart issues while at home doesn’t replace professional medical care but it can bridge the critical minutes between symptom onset and lifesaving intervention.