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September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month

This year’s Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month theme — LEARN, LISTEN, ACT — provides steps women can take to prevent gynecologic cancers and receive an early diagnosis.

Facts by Cancer Type

Cervical Cancer

Learn

• Cervical cancer is entirely preventable.
• Almost all cervical cancer is caused by a persistent infection with the Human Papillomavirus, or HPV.
• Vaccinating women and young girls before they become sexually active can prevent cervical pre-cancer and cancer.
• Regular Pap tests and HPV testing when recommended are equally important in preventing cervical cancer.
• Cervical cancer usually affects women between ages 30 and 55, but younger women also are at risk.

Listen to your body for these symptoms

• Bleeding after intercourse
• Excessive discharge and abnormal bleeding between periods
• NOTE: Most women will have no symptoms, making vaccination, and regular Pap tests plus HPV tests when recommended key to preventing cervical cancer.
• Don’t smoke! Smoking weakens the immune system and a weakened immune system can lead to persistent HPV infection.

Act

• Get vaccinated before you become sexually active.
• Get Pap tests and HPV tests when recommended at the intervals recommended by your healthcare provider.
• If your test results say you have cervical pre-cancer or cancer, seek care from a gynecologic oncologist.

Ovarian Cancer

Learn

• Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among the gynecologic cancers and the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women.
• Only 15% of all ovarian cancer cases are detected at the earliest, most curable stage.
• One in 71 women will develop ovarian cancer in her lifetime.
• Learn your individual risk of ovarian cancer.
  • The risk of ovarian cancer increases with age, especially around the time of menopause.
  • A family history of ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, primary peritoneal cancer or premenopausal breast cancer, or a personal history of premenopausal breast cancer place women at heightened risk for ovarian cancer.
  • Infertility and not bearing children are risk factors while pregnancy and the use of birth control pills decrease risk.
• Note: to learn more about your risk of ovarian cancer, read a brochure developed by the Foundation for Women’s Cancer in partnership with Project Hope, Understanding Your Risk of Ovarian Cancer: A Woman’s Guide.

Listen to your body for these symptoms

• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• Urinary symptoms, urgency or frequency
• Note: Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease. Early-stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.

Act

• Unfortunately, there is no screening test for ovarian cancer.
• Note: Therefore, women need to understand their risk and listen to their bodies for symptoms.
• If you have symptoms of ovarian cancer that are frequent, persistent and new to you, ask your doctor to consider ovarian cancer as a possible cause. Most likely you do not have ovarian cancer. But if ovarian cancer is suspected or diagnosed, seek care first from a gynecologic oncologist.

Uterine Cancer

Learn

• The most common uterine cancer is endometrial cancer, and it is the most common gynecologic cancer.
• Uterine cancer usually occurs around the time of menopause, but younger women also are at risk.
• There is no screening test for endometrial cancer.
• Note: The Pap test only screens for cervical cancer and DOES NOT screen for uterine cancer.
• Risk factors for endometrial cancer include:
  • Taking estrogen alone without progesterone
  • Obesity
  • Diabetes
  • Hypertension
  • Use of tamoxifen
  • Late menopause (after age 52)
  • Never becoming pregnant
  • A family history of endometrial or colon cancer

Listen to your body for these symptoms

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding; younger women should note irregular or heavy vaginal bleeding
• Bleeding after menopause
• If you experience these symptoms, you should have a biopsy of the endometrium to check for endometrial cancer.
• Note: You can reduce your risk of uterine cancer by taking these steps:
  • Exercise regularly
  • Keep your blood pressure and blood sugar under control
  • Manage your weight

Act

• If you have symptoms of endometrial cancer and receive a positive endometrial biopsy, seek care from a gynecologic oncologist.

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