A woman started her period at age eight, which is a risk factor for endometrial cancer. Her periods became irregular and her cramps worsened with each period, lasting longer than usual. She thought this was normal and attributed it to her birth control. After avoiding her annual checkup for three years, she was diagnosed with grade three endometrial cancer during a pap smear. Getting more frequent exams or using a different birth control method could have detected her cancer earlier.