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Gynecologic Cancer

    The umbrella term gynecologic cancer encompasses carcinomas of the cervix, uterus, ovaries, vulva, vagina and fallopian tubes. We will focus on the first three, which make up most of the gynecologic tumours.
    Cervical cancer is the one we're able to screen most effectively.
    Uterine cancer is the one, which attack the American whites the most.
    Ovarian cancer is the most fatal gynecologic malignancy.

Signs and Symptoms:
Cervical cancer
- abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting
- abnormal vaginal discharge
- painful intercourse
- bleeding following intercourse

(Advance-stage cervical cancer can also send these signals):

- persistent lower-back pain
- urinary obstruction or sharp pain in the kidney region

Uterine Cancer
- bleeding, esp. after menopause

Ovarian Cancer
- acid indigestion
- appetite loss
- gas
- nausea
- a vague discomfort in the lower abdomen
- abdominal swelling, which may be accompanied by constipation and frequent
urination

Treatment

    Hysterectomy is a common treatment for gynecologic malignancies, sometimes
in conjunction with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Young patients
will be given:
- Cryosurgery. A virtually painless office procedure in which intense cold
is applied to the affected area.
- LEEP (Large Electro-Surgical Excision Procedure) uses an electric current
through a thin wire to excise the abnormal tissue.
- Laser Treatment uses a carbon-dioxide laser to evaporate a thin area of
the surface tissue.
- Cervical conization is performed in a hospital setting under general
anesthesia.
-
- Hysterectomy:
- Total
- Radical

The former removes the uterus and cervix, while the latter excises the
cervix, uterus, parametria (tissue around the uterus and cervix) and part of
the upper vagina. Both operations terminate a woman's ability to have
children; with either type of hysterectomy, the ovaries and fallopian tubes
may also be removed, resulting in surgical menopause in young women.

- Major surgery that requires general anesthesia and hospitalization for
about one week
- Very common that many people view it as inevitable, routine and minor.

Prevention

Diet
- Use monounsaturated oils in place of polyunsaturated or saturated.
- Include cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sable, which
are high in omega-3 fatty acid.

Exercise
- Excess weight can lead to diabetes and hypertension, which elevate the
risk of uterine and ovarian cancers.
- Important aspect of controlling diabetes and high blood pressure, it is
also recommended to avoid gynecologic cancer.
- Alters the hormone ratio.

Oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy
- relieve the adverse effects of menopause
- Prevent the thinning of bones mainly in elder females.
- Hormone replacement prevents a buildup of endometrial tissue by promoting
a periodic shedding of the lining.
- Decrease the risk of uterine cancer.
- Combination birth-control pills halve a woman's risk for both uterine and
ovarian cancer