Causes

Gynecologic cancers develop when cells lining one of the reproductive organs change and begin to multiply and spread.
Although research is ongoing, health professionals do not yet have a complete understanding of the cause of cancer. Genetics, exposure to some STIs such as HPV, smoking, and environmental exposures all increase the risk of gynecological cancer.

MOST COMMON GYNECOLOGICAL CANCERS INCLUDE:

Gynecological cancers of the following types are quite common and affect a large number of women each year:

1. Uterine cancer: Uterine cancer is a type of gynecological cancer that starts in the uterus. Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, use of estrogen without progesterone, and other factors that increase the risk of uterine cancer can occur in anyone.

Symptoms:

• Menopausal vaginal bleeding or spotting
• Lower abdominal pain that lasts more than two weeks.
• Between-period bleeding
• Pain during a sexual encounter.

2. Cervical cancer: Cervical cancer is another common type of gynecologic cancer that is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Every year, a large number of women in India are diagnosed with this cancer, and unfortunately, due to a lack of awareness and inadequate cancer screening facilities, the majority of women are diagnosed when cancer has advanced. In addition, HPV (Human Papillomavirus) infection causes a large number of cervical cancers.

Symptoms:

• Discharge from the cervix.
• Odor in the cervix.
• Bleeding after a sexual encounter
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Cervical cancer can be treated with radical surgery alone if detected early, but those detected later require a combination of chemo and radiation therapy.

3. Ovarian cancer: Another common gynecological cancer is ovarian cancer. It comes in three varieties: epithelial ovarian cancer, germ cell cancer, and stromal cell cancer. The most common type is epithelial ovarian cancer, which accounts for approximately 85 percent of all ovarian cancers.

Surgery can cure benign epithelial ovarian tumors, while chemotherapy and tumor cytoreductive surgery can treat malignant tumors. One thing to keep in mind about epithelial ovarian cancers is that they are quite aggressive and have a strong tendency to recur in an advanced stage. In such cases, either surgery or chemotherapy is used to treat the patient.

Germ cell tumor, another type of ovarian cancer, is typically seen in younger people, and approximately 95% of these cases are curable with surgery alone, while other cases may require additional chemotherapy. To treat germ cell tumors in young patients, fertility preservation therapy (sparing the other ovary and uterus) is usually preferred.

Stromal cell cancer, the third type of ovarian cancer, is typically slow-growing in nature. The great majority of such situations are treatable solely through surgery.

Symptoms:

• Excessive and sudden bloating.
• Eating difficulties or loss of appetite
• Unknown cause of weight loss
• Urination becomes more frequent or urgent.
• Pain and discomfort in the abdominal or abdominal region.

Types of Gynecological Cancers

There are six types of gynecological cancers, three of which are common and three of which are rare, as listed below.

• Uterus cancer
• Cervix cancer
• Ovaries cancer
• Vulvar cancer
• Trophoblastic tumor of pregnancy

GYNECOLOGICAL CANCERS THAT ARE RARE:

1.Vulvar Cancer: It is a rare type of gynecological cancer that affects the external female genitalia.

Symptoms:

• Red, pink, or white bumps with a warty surface.
• While urinating, you may experience pain or a burning sensation.
• Bleeding that is not related to menstruation.
• The presence of white and rough patches in the area.
• An open sore or ulcer that persists.

Vulvar cancer is a type of gynecological cancer that is highly curable. In most cases, radical surgery is sufficient to treat vulvar cancer, but in some cases, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be required.

2. Vaginal cancer: One of the most uncommon types of gynecological cancer is vaginal cancer. It usually affects women over the age of 50, and in most cases, HPV (Human Papillomavirus) infection is to blame.

Symptoms:

• The presence of a visible mass.
• Vaginal bleeding or discharge that is abnormal.
• Intercourse pain both during and after.
• Many cases of vaginal cancer, like vulvar cancer, can be treated with radical surgery, while others may require radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

3. Gestational trophoblastic tumor: Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) refers to a group of tumors that develop during pregnancy. These tumors are also uncommon and are further classified into five types (one benign and four malignant). These tumors typically begin in the cells that will become the placenta during pregnancy. The tumor begins in trophoblast layers that surround the embryo and is mostly benign. These tumors are mostly treated with chemotherapy and are highly curable.