Gynecological Cancer

Most women get Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer, and uterine cancer makes itself known by unusual bleeding, but other gynecological cancers may go undetected with generic symptoms. At Hematology and Oncology Associates of Northern California, Mansoor Javeed, MD, FACP, and Christian Kim, MD, FACP, have helped many women recover from gynecological cancer. They provide advanced medical therapies that go hand-in-hand with surgery and radiation, such as chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy. If you want exceptional, personalized care for gynecological cancer, call the office in Folsom and Elk Grove, California, or request an appointment online today.

What is gynecological cancer?

Gynecological cancer refers to all the cancers that develop in a woman’s reproductive tract, including:

• Cervical cancer
• Uterine cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Vaginal cancer
• Vulvar cancer
• Fallopian tube cancer

All cancers develop when DNA mutations make cells grow uncontrollably and form a cancerous tumor.

What are the symptoms of gynecological cancer?

The most common type of uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, causes abnormal uterine bleeding in more than 90% of women.

In addition to abnormal bleeding, gynecological cancers cause the following symptoms:

• Pelvic pain or pressure
• Abdominal swelling
• Frequent need to urinate
• Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
• Lump in the pelvic region
• Back pain
• Leg swelling
• Gas and bloating
• Constipation
• Skin sores (vulvar cancer)

Abnormal bleeding includes bleeding after menopause, bleeding between periods, and unusually heavy or prolonged periods.

How are gynecological cancers treated?

Surgery is the first line of treatment for gynecological cancers. Cervical and uterine cancers are often cured with surgery because they’re diagnosed at an early stage. Cervical cancer is detected during routine Pap testing, while most uterine cancers are quickly identified because of abnormal bleeding.

If the cancer has spread or surgery does not remove all of it, your oncologist recommends radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Your Hematology and Oncology Associates of Northern California provider has years of experience treating gynecological cancers with a wide range of chemotherapy drugs.

Combining other advanced therapies with chemotherapy helps lower your risk of cancer recurrence by eliminating any cancer cells hidden in your body. The medical oncologists at Hematology and Oncology Associates of Northern California provide:

Targeted drug therapy

Targeted drug therapy uses drugs to attack specific parts of cancer cells. For example, these medications may destroy proteins needed for growth, prevent cancer cells from establishing a blood supply, or stop cancer from repairing its DNA.

Hormone therapy

Some gynecological cancers need hormones to grow and survive. Hormone therapy relies on medications that prevent cancer cells from getting hormones, resulting in cancer cell death.

Immunotherapy (biological therapy)

Immunotherapy involves specialized drugs that improve the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. One type of immunotherapy destroys proteins that hide cancer cells from immune cells.

When receiving gynecological cancer treatments requiring an infusion, women get personalized care as they relax in the soothing on-site infusion room.

To learn more about treatments for gynecological cancers, call Hematology and Oncology Associates of Northern California or request an appointment online today.