9.6.05

Gynecologic Cancer

Every hour, about ten women in the United States are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer.

More than 80,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed each year with cancers affecting their reproductive organs. Dr. Stewart Massad, associate professor and chief of gynecologic oncology at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, says gynecologic cancer includes different types of cancers.

SOUND BITE: "The most common is uterine cancer. Uterine cancer will affect 40,000 women in the United States this year. The most lethal cancer is cancer of the ovaries with about 16,000 deaths in the United States each year. Cervical cancer used to be the most common cancer of the female reproductive system… but with pap screenings, it has become much less common."

Massad says the various gynecologic cancers have different symptoms. Abnormal bleeding is associated with cervical and uterine cancer. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it is in the late stage, so women need to be aware of the symptoms.

SOUND BITE: "Ovarian cancer symptoms are very subtle and include bloating, occasional menstrual irregularity, nausea, pressure on the bladder or rectum, weight loss, but those are symptoms that can be associated with a variety of different things. The thing that women with that sort of symptoms should keep in mind is if they have those symptoms, they should get a pelvic exam."

Dr. Massad says early detection is the key to a positive outcome. All women are encouraged to have gynecological examinations and Pap smear screenings by their primary care physician or gynecologist at regular intervals to help protect themselves against gynecologic cancer.