September is National Gynecology
Oncology month; as many of us are sending our kids back to school; it’s time to
also educate ourselves about the typical signs and symptoms of the common
cancers that can affect our reproductive organs.
We often hear about ovarian
cancer and how difficult it is to diagnose in early stages, but actually the
most common reproductive cancer in women is uterine cancer. This type of
cancer typically arises in the endometrium, the lining of the uterine
cavity. Uterine cancer occurs mostly in
women who have already gone through menopause, and the typical symptom that it
presents with is bleeding. We define
menopause as being without periods for a year; therefore, any kind of vaginal
bleeding (even if it is just spotting) after menopause needs to be evaluated by
your health care provider, and endometrial cancer ruled out. Although uterine cancer is most common in
postmenopausal women, it can also occur in women before menopause. In this scenario, heavy bleeding with periods,
or bleeding in between periods, is the most common symptom.
Cervical cancer arises in the cervix, the lower part of the
uterus that connects to the vagina.
Although the cervix is part of the uterus, cancers that develop on the
cervix are very different from those that arise in the uterine cavity. Cervical cancer is caused by Human Papilloma
Virus (HPV), a very common sexually transmitted virus. Cervical cancer can be prevented by getting
regular Pap smears, which allows us to diagnose abnormal cells before they turn
in to cancer. The guidelines for Pap
smear screening have changed, so be sure to consult with your health care
provider about what an appropriate screening interval is for you. Cervical cancer is most common in women age
30-60, and the typical symptom is abnormal bleeding, most notably bleeding
after sex, or bleeding in between periods.
For women who are already past menopause, any vaginal bleeding is the
most common symptom of cervical cancer.
Ovarian cancer continues to be a difficult cancer to
diagnose early and cure. Currently we do
not have any good screening test for ovarian cancer. To complicate matters more, the typical
symptoms for ovarian cancer are often symptoms of other disorders that are not
so serious. These symptoms include
pelvic pain, low back pain, indigestion, changes in bowel habits, abdominal
bloating or a sense of “feeling full” after eating. A good rule of thumb is that if you have any of these symptoms persisting for
more than 2-3 weeks, see your health care provider and make sure they evaluate
you for the possibility of ovarian cancer.
The last type of reproductive
cancer that is not so well known is vulvar cancer. The vulva includes the
labia, clitoris , vaginal opening and perineum (the area between the vagina and
the anus). These
cancers are not very common, but again, are very curable if caught early. The typical symptoms are a persistent sore or
open spot on the skin, persistent itching, or burning and pain. Vulvar cancer can also arise in a genital wart
that is growing or not responding to typical treatment
.
Don’t delay in seeing your health care
provider if you notice any of these symptoms! Although they may commonly
be caused by something other than a cancer of the reproductive organ, there is no
way for you to know for sure without getting checked out. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
For more information about visit the PinnacleHealth Resource Library or to find a doctor in the central Pennsylvania area search our Find a Doctor database or call (717) 231-8900 to speak with one of our friendly customer service agents.
Watch Susan's Story - an Ovarian Cancer Survivor
