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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.
Testimonials
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When Jan Holsclaw found out she had ovarian cancer, she was referred to Dr. Bigsby at Florida Hospital Cancer Institute for surgery and treatment. With reassuring words and...
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TV Personality Jan C. Garavaglia, M.D., (aka "Dr. G") is the chief medical examiner for the District Nine (Orange-Osceola) Medical Examiner's Office in Florida. When she... -
Bonnie has helped to raise millions of dollars for ovarian cancer research taking place at National Cancer Institute (NCI), Department of Defense (DOD), Centers for Disease...
Tips for Patients
To make your visit as stress free as possible, we strongly suggest you review the list of items below. You should do this before you make your travel arrangements (if you don’t live locally) so you can allow sufficient time for planning and processing.
Approvals
To avoid financial hardship, confusion and delays be sure to check with your primary payer (insurance company, employer, etc.) to ensure that all preapprovals and paperwork are in order. That way you will understand exactly how much of the charges they will cover and how much you will be responsible for.
If you’d like more information on financing options, click here. (goes to Financial Arrangements page)
Airline Tickets
We highly recommend that you book your airline reservations with open arrival and departure dates. Doing so allows you flexibility should your procedure be delayed, extended treatment is required or your length of stay cannot be determined prior to admission.
Dress Comfortably
Orlando can get pretty warm, especially during the summer months (April through September). Temperatures can be 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) and the humidity can be 95%. The hospital is air conditioned, but visitors may find it a bit jarring going from the comfort of air conditioning to the heat of the outdoors as they leave the hospital. Dressing for the warm weather is the best solution.
Things to Bring With You
Following are some of the things you will need to bring with you if your procedure requires a stay in the hospital.
Personal Items
- Glasses, hearing aids, crutches, braces
- Clothes (comfortable for day time) and underwear.
- A favorite pillow or blanket.
- Toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Personal items (hairbrush, lip balm, shampoo, etc.).
- Any allergies to medicine and food.
- Your prescriptions. (Include both prescription and all over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, Tylenol, cold medicine, vitamins, herbs, etc.).
- Bring original bottles of the medication with you if you are unable to create a list prior to coming to the hospital.
- Do not bring any valuables, large sums of money or anything that can’t be replaced.
- No latex (rubber) balloons. They are a safety hazard. Mylar balloons are fine.
- Flowers and stuffed animals. We discourage these for health reasons in certain patient units (Oncology in particular). Please check with your nurse.
- Weapons, including firearms and knives, are not allowed on hospital grounds. For the safety and security of everyone, the hospital reserves the right to search any person’s belonging for drugs, weapons or other dangerous weapons.
Before you are discharged you may want to talk to your doctor or nurse about:
- Any special needs for your care at home.
- A list of all phone numbers we might use to reach you.
- The language you prefer for discharge instructions.