Facts About Gynecologic Cancers

Gynecologic cancers include malignancies of the female genital tract involving the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries.

• According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 80,000 women per year are diagnosed with some form of gynecologic cancer.
  
• The three most common gynecologic cancers are uterus, cervix and ovary, accounting for nearly 73,000 diagnoses each year.
  
• Widespread screening with the Pap test has allowed doctors to find pre-cancerous changes in the cervix and vagina. This has helped catch some invasive cancers early.
  

Treatment Options for Gynecologic Cancers

Treatment for gynecologic cancers depends on several factors, including the type of cancer, its extent (stage), its location and your overall health. It is important to talk with several cancer specialists (listed below) before deciding on the best treatment for you, your cancer and your lifestyle.

• A gynecologic oncologist is a doctor who specializes in surgically removing gynecologic cancers. A gynecologic oncologist may also oversee your chemotherapy treatment.
  
• A radiation oncologist is a doctor specially trained to treat cancer with radiation therapy.
  
• A medical oncologist is a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with drugs (chemotherapy).

Sometimes, your cancer may be cured by using only one type of treatment. In other cases, your cancer may be best cured using a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Types of Radiation Therapy

There are two types of radiation therapy.

• External beam radiation therapy delivers treatment from a machine outside your body.
• Internal radiation therapy ,or brachytherapy, delivers treatment using radioactive sources placed into the vagina, uterus and/or surrounding tissues to kill the cancer cells.

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