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Even with an annual Pap smear test and the new vaccination for young women, cervical cancer can’t be totally prevented. But there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of developing cancer of the cervix.
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Vaginal cancer is a relatively rare disorder, comprising about 2% to 3% of all gynecologic cancers. Approximately 2,400 women are diagnosed each year with vaginal cancer in the United States.
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The chance of getting ovarian cancer increases as a woman gets older. Ovarian cancer occurs in women over the age of 50 and the highest risk is in women over 60.
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Uterine cancer is the most common of all cancers in the female reproductive system. It can either form in the inner lining of the uterus or the outer layer of muscle tissue.
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Thought to be caused by a problem with the genetic information transmitted between an egg and sperm, molar pregnancy can develop during the first trimester of pregnancy.
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Uterine Symptoms
There is not test for uterine cancer and the presence of the disease may not even be discovered during a routine pelvic exam. Most women are diagnosed with either endometrial cancer or uterine sarcoma because they have shown symptoms of the disease.
Symptoms of Uterine Cancer
Following are signs of each form of uterine cancer, beginning with the most common, endometrial cancer.
- Women with endometrial cancer may have the following symptoms:
- Unusual spotting, bleeding or other discharge. 90% of all women who are diagnosed with this form of uterine cancer have abnormal vaginal bleeding between periods or after menopause.
- Non-bloody vaginal discharge. This can also be a sign of endometrial cancer. The best guideline is that you should discuss any abnormal discharge with your doctor.
- Pelvic pain and/or mass accompanied by weight loss. This is often a sign of endometrial cancer in its later stages.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor so he can get a full medical history of your family, discuss your symptoms and perform an exam, including a pelvic exam.
Uterine sarcoma can have similar symptoms, specifically:
- Abnormal bleeding or spotting. If you’ve gone through menopause and are experiencing this, it could be a sign of uterine sarcoma. Approximately 85% of all women who have uterine sarcoma report irregular vaginal bleeding between periods or after menopause.
- Vaginal discharge. 10% of all women with uterine sarcoma have a discharge where no blood is present.
- Pelvic pain and/or mass. Approximately 1 out of 10 women report having a mass that can be felt when they are first diagnosed.
If you have one or more of these symptoms, you’ll want to speak with your doctor about them. Other diseases can have similar symptoms, so the presence of one of more of these signs doesn’t mean you have uterine sarcoma.