DEAR ABBY: I am an 81-year-old grandmother who blindly trusted that my annual Pap smear exam would provide early detection for any type of uterine cancer.
It took a diagnosis of uterine cancer that resulted in a subsequent hysterectomy for me to discover that this test is not enough. Although the Pap test should be part of a regular checkup, it only checks for cervical cancer. Except when hormone therapy is being taken, any bleeding, spotting or abnormal discharge following menopause is not normal and should be reported at once to your doctor. -- GEORGIA GRANDMOTHER
DEAR GRANDMOTHER: I'm pleased that your cancer was caught in time. However, whether a woman is pre- or post-menopausal -- and whether or not she is on hormone therapy -- she should immediately alert her doctor to any abnormal bleeding, spotting or discharge. These symptoms are not just warning signs of cancer. They could also indicate a polyp that needs removal, or a sexually transmitted disease.