The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year more than 80,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer: cervical, uterine, ovarian, vaginal or vulvar.

Uterine cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer. Nearly 35,000 women are affected with uterine cancer. Cervical cancer is the most preventable and the only gynecologic cancer with a screening test and a vaccine. Cervical cancer annually affects about 15,000 women and is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in women worldwide.

In 2016, the National Cancer Institute estimated 1,685,210 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 595,690 people will die from the disease. Uterine and cervical cancers are more common in women aged 50 and older, but can occur at any age.

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month designed to educate and encourage women as young as 21 years old to pay attention to their bodies, so they can recognize the warning signs of gynecologic cancers.

The CDC started a campaign entitled, “Inside Knowledge: Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer.”

To learn more about gynecologic cancer, there are several facts recommended by the CDC that you should know about risk factors, signs and symptoms:

• Cervical cancer is almost always caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is very common in the United States and is passed from one person to another during sex.

• Cervical cancer can be prevented by getting the HPV vaccine. It is recommended for preteens (both boys and girls) aged 11 to 12 years, but can be given as early as age 9 and until age 26. Get a Pap and HPV test, as recommended by your doctor.

• Women should start getting Pap tests at age 21. If your Pap test results are normal, you may not need another Pap test for three years. However, it is recommended to continue getting a Pap test until age 65 — even if you think you are too old to have a child or are not having sex anymore. Women don’t need regular Pap tests if older than 65, had normal test results for several years or have had a total hysterectomy for a non-cancerous condition, like fibroids. Pap tests are not a screening for ovarian, uterine, vaginal or vulvar cancers.

• All women are at risk. To help reduce your risk: Pay attention to your body and know what is normal for you. Make healthy lifestyle choices. Know your family health history.

When Dawsolene M. Burrel was a 26-year-old wife and mother of three, she woke up one day in so much pain that she could not stand up straight.

“This pain had been building for a while and I couldn’t ignore it anymore,” she said. “I became accustomed to experiencing painful episodes since my first miscarriage at 19, but this was different and more intense.”

Burrel realized that she had not had a menstrual cycle in months. When she had trouble walking to the car, her husband drove her to the hospital where a multitude of tests were performed.

“After hours of waiting for the results, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer,” Burrel said. “The doctor said I needed a radical hysterectomy with chemo and radiation immediately.”

As a daughter of a pastor, Burrel opted out of the surgery and decided to pray and trust God.

“My prayers were answered because later that day, my body eliminated the problem and when my doctor screened me again, the tumor was undetectable.”

Unfortunately, Burrel’s ordeal was not over. Six months later, the doctors discovered a tumor the size of a grapefruit growing inside of her.

“I believe God showed me that first experience to keep me going,” she said. “I felt I was being prepared for what turned out to be a 23-year battle against cancer.”

Burrel underwent about 39 surgeries and was prescribed countless types of medication to fight the cancer that was ravishing her body.

“I virtually spent more time in the hospital than at home,” she said. “Over the years, I endured a series of surgeries, medications, and a whole plethora of treatments for excessive bleeding cancer cells and cysts.”

The doctors delayed performing a partial hysterectomy.

“I was prescribed medication to induce menopause to shrink the tumor,” she said.  “Every year, I had two or three surgeries to stop the constant bleeding and other complications.”

Burrel decided to change the way she ate, exercised more, and tried to keep her stress level down and one of the methods was to add medical cannabis to her routine.

“Three years ago I started smoking cannabis in addition to the numerous pills and injections I was receiving for pain and spasms from the lymphedema I developed in my torso,” Burrel said. “In February 2016, I replaced 14 pills which included Dilaudid, Valium, Percocet, Baclofen, and Toradol among others with one natural plant, cannabis.”

Burrel, now 48, received a bill of health for the first time in years.

“I am celebrating 30 months cancer-free and 11 months pharmaceutical free,” she said. “This month makes it the longest I’ve been in remission and I attribute it to Christ, Revelation 22:2 which states the leaves of the trees were the healing for the nations, and cannabis.”

Many kinds of complementary and alternative medicine have not been tested, FDA-approved, and may not be safe. Before you start any kind of complementary or alternative medicine, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.

Resources: 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention –

Women’s Cancer Network of the Foundation for Women’s Cancer –

National Cancer Institute –

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services –

Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA, a public relations consultant, is the owner of Platinum Star PR and can be reached on Twitter @PlatinumStar or Instagram @PlatinumStarPR. Send “Health Matters” related questions to and look for her column in The Wave.