Henrietta Lacks

I choose to write about cervical cancer because Mrs. Henrietta Lacks’ was diagnosed with cervical cancer in the year of 1950.  After battling with the cancer for eight months, Mrs. Lacks died at the age of 31 years old in 1951. In the early 1900s, there was not much information about cervical cancer or how to treat it. Because the symptoms of cervical cancer appeared in the later stages and women were did not have pap smear test done, the cancerous cells would spread in the body affecting the other organs. By the time doctors would diagnosed the patient with cervical cancer, little could be done to cure it. Doctors would misdiagnosed the patient and often did not know how it should be treated.  It is very important to have a Pap smear test done every year. By doing this, the patient will be able to detect the cancer at an earlier stage and successfully treat it.