Gynecologic Cancer: Signs, Symptoms, and Risk Factors

What can women do to prevent these types of cancers?

The American Cancer Society estimates there are over 110,000 new cases and nearly 33,000 deaths a year from gynecologic cancer. There are five types of gynecologic cancers: ovarian, endometrial/uterine, cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancer.

Each gynecologic cancer has its own warning signs or symptoms. It is important to pay attention to your body to know what is normal, and not normal for you.

Common symptoms can include abnormal vaginal bleeding, feeling full too quickly or difficulty eating, bloating and abdominal or back pain, and pelvic pain.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer. 80% of women will experience bleeding while 10% will have infected vaginal discharge. About 10% of women with endometrial cancer do not have symptoms.

Cancer of the ovary is the most lethal gynecologic cancer and the fifth-most common cause of cancer death in women. It is hard to detect unless your doctor has a high index of suspicion of the disease. A doctor’s exam and screening are required to detect it as well as cancer of the cervix and the vulva. This simple two-minute physical exam can save a life. If something doesn’t seem right, contact your primary care doctor.

We find many of these cancers in the menopausal state. For example, cancer in the endometrium, the most common cancer in the GYN tract, is found in only 5% of the cases that occur in women under 40. 75% occur in women over 50. For cancer in the ovary, the average age is 63. For cancer in the cervix, most patients are split, younger and older. In younger women it is driven by the HPV virus. But for vulvar cancer, it is the opposite. 50% of women who get cancer of the vulva are over age 70.

There are things women can do to lessen the risk of getting one of a gynecologic cancer.

The biggest driving force for endometrial cancer is estrogen caused by obesity. If a woman weighs 50 pounds over her ideal body weight, her lifetime risk of this cancer is 10 times higher. Unopposed estrogen and obesity can also increase the risk of ovarian cancer, while a woman’s genetics can also play a part. It is helpful to know your family history of cervical cancer as genetics can be a risk factor. Other risk factors include being exposed to the HPV virus, cigarette smoking, and anything that lowers your immune response. HPV infection can also contribute to vulvar cancer.

At Saint Alphonsus, we provide multiple treatments for these cancers. For cancer of the endometrium, the primary treatment is a hysterectomy with lymph nodes and then possibly post-operative radiation or chemotherapy. For ovarian cancer, surgical debulking (safely removing as much cancer as possible) followed by chemotherapy is the common treatment. Cervical and vulvar cancer can also be treated with surgery or radiation.

A Gynecologic Oncologist can guide you through the best treatment options for your specific cancer and condition.

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