Cancers that start in the female reproductive system are called gynecological cancers. These cancer types can affect women,
some transgender men and non-binary people assigned female at birth.
Cervical cancer is when abnormal cells in the lining of the cervix grow uncontrollably and eventually form a growth (tumour).
Cervical cancer is most common in women in their early 30’s.
i. Squamous cell carcinoma
ii. Adenocarcinoma
i. grade 1 (low grade) look most like normal cells
ii. grade 2 look a bit like normal cells
iii. grade 3 (high grade) look very abnormal and not like normal cells
Early cervical cancers and pre-cancerous cell changes don’t usually have symptoms.
i. unusual vaginal bleeding
a) between periods
b) during or after sex
c) at any time after your menopause
ii. pain or discomfort during sex
iii. vaginal discharge
iv. pain in the area between the hip bones (pelvis)
i. Age
ii. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection
iii. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
iv. Other sexually transmitted infections
v. Smoking tobacco
vi. Contraceptive pill
vii. Family history
i. Physical examination
a) vagina, including looking at your cervix
b) pelvis (the area between the hip bones)
c) rectum (back passage)
ii. Blood tests
iii. Biopsies, including a loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ), also called loop electrosurgical excision
(LEEP) or loop diathermy, or a cone biopsy
iv. An MRI scan
v. A PET-CT scan
vi. A pelvic examination under anaesthetic
i. Surgery
ii. Chemotherapy with radiotherapy (chemoradiotherapy)
iii. Brachytherapy
iv. Chemotherapy
v. Radiotherapy
vi. A targeted cancer drug
vii. An immunotherapy drug
viii. Symptom control
i. Get vaccinated against HPV
ii. Have routine Pap tests
iii. Practice safe sex
iv. Don’t smoke
Endometrial cancer is a type of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the uterus. The uterus is the hollow, pear-shaped
pelvic organ where fetal development happens.
i. Vaginal bleeding after menopause
ii. Bleeding between periods
iii. Pelvic pain
i. Pelvic exam
ii. CT scan
iii. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
iv. PET scan (positron emission tomography scan)
v. Lymph node dissection
i. Changes in the balance of hormones in the body
ii. More years of menstruation
iii. Never having been pregnant
iv. Older age
v. Obesity
vi. Hormone therapy for breast cancer
vii. An inherited syndrome that increases the risk of cancer
i. Stage I
ii. Stage II
iii. Stage III
iv. Stage IV
Endometrial cancer may be grouped for treatment as follows:
i. Low-risk endometrial cancer
ii. High-risk endometrial cancer
Endometrial cancer can recur(come back) after it has been treated.
i. Talk to your health care team about the risks of hormone therapy after menopause
ii. Consider taking birth control pills
iii. Maintain a healthy weight
i. Surgery
ii. Radiation therapy
iii. Chemotherapy
iv. Hormone therapy
v. Targeted therapy
Ovarian cancer is when abnormal cells in the ovary begin to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way. And eventually form
a growth (tumour). If not caught early, cancer cells gradually grow into the surrounding tissues. They may spread to other
areas of the body.
i. Epithelial ovarian cancer
ii. Germ cell ovarian tumours
iii. Sex cord stromal tumours
i. grade 1 or well differentiated
ii. grade 2 or moderately differentiated
iii. grade 3 or poorly differentiated (or undifferentiated)
i. Feeling full quickly
ii. Loss of appetite
iii. Pain in your tummy (abdomen) or lower part of your abdomen that doesn’t go away
iv. Bloating or an increase in the size of your abdomen
v. Needing to pee more often
vi. Tiredness that is unexplained
vii. Weight loss that is unexplained
viii. Changes in your bowel habit or symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, especially if this starts after the age
of 50
i. Getting older
ii. Inherited faulty genes
iii. Previous cancer
iv. Using hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
v. Smoking
vi. Medical conditions
vii. Being overweight or obese
i. Physical examination
ii. Blood tests including the CA125
iii. Ultrasound scan
iv. CT scan
v. Taking a sample of tissue called a biopsy
i. Targeted Drug Treatment
ii. Hormone Treatment
iii. Radiotherapy
iv. Surgery
Cancer of the uterus occurs when abnormal cells develop in the uterus and begin growing out of control.
i. Heavier than usual periods or a change in your periods
ii. Vaginal bleeding between periods
iii. Periods that continue without a break
iv. A watery discharge, which may have an unpleasant smell
v. Unexplained weight loss
vi. Difficulty urinating or a change in bowel habit
vii. Abdominal pain
i. Being postmenopausal, or reaching menopause (after age 55)
ii. A thickened wall lining (endometrial hyperplasia)
iii. Never having children
iv. Starting periods early (before age 12)
v. Having high blood pressure or diabetes
vi. Being overweight or obese
vii. Family history of ovarian, uterine, or bowel cancer
viii. Having a genetic condition such as Cowden syndrome or Lynch syndrome
viiii. Previous ovarian tumours, or polycystic ovary syndrome
x. Using oestrogen only hormone replacement therapy or fertility treatment
xi. Previous radiation therapy to the pelvis
xii. Taking tamoxifen to treat breast cancer (the benefits of treating breast cancer usually outweigh the risk of
uterine cancer – (talk to your doctor if you are concerned)
i. Physical examination
ii. Pelvic ultrasound
iii. Abdominal ultrasound
iv. Transvaginal ultrasound
v. Endometrial biopsy
vi. Hysteroscopy and biopsy
vii. Blood and urine tests
i. Surgery (hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy)
ii. Radiation therapy (radiotherapy)
iii. Chemotherapy
iv. Hormone therapy
v. Immunotherapy
vi. Targeted therapy
vii. Palliative care
i. There are no proven measures to prevent uterine cancer
ii. However, you may be able to minimise your risk factors, such as maintaining a healthy weight, and being
vigilant about any abnormal vaginal bleeding.
Take the first step towards hope and healing – book your appointment with Shashwat Hospitals today!
Shashwat Hospitals is a leading oncology hospital in the Saurashtra region, dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate, and patient-centric cancer care with a commitment to clinical excellence and innovation.