International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

It is vitally important that all women go for smear tests, according to one heath expert.

Robert Music, director of the UK-based Jo's Trust, described screening as "a really important preventative tool".

Leading a healthier lifestyle could help prevent cancer, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has claimed.

Figures from the charity show that about 78,700 cases of 12 common cancers could be prevented. This includes 16,100 cases of bowel and 19,100 cases of breast cancer.

People can reduce their risk of suffering from cancer by making a number of simple lifestyle changes, it has been suggested.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), many thousands of cases could be prevented if health guidance is followed.

The organisation urges people to avoid becoming over or underweight, stressing the potential benefits of daily exercise.

Highly-targeted radiation therapy can improve survival rates and reduce treatment-related complications among cervical cancer patients, it has been reported.

According to a study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, US, the technique - called intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) – can be used to tackle this condition.

Nationality can be a health risk factor for people with Asian heritage, but genetic differences between groups are often not recognised, a study has claimed.

Research published in the American Journal of Health Behavior indicates that a failure to consider the specific cultural origins of Asian people living in the US may limit understanding of their medical needs.

More needs to be done to raise awareness of cervical cancer among young women, it has been suggested.

Researchers have claimed that drugs derived from unusual metals could help the fight against certain cancers.

Women with ovarian cancer are less likely to die from the disease if they are treated by specialist gynaecological oncologists, it has been claimed.

Transmission of cancer cells from a mother to her unborn baby is "a very rare problem", it has been claimed.

Men should encourage their female partners to go for regular medical check-ups, it has been claimed.