Types of Gynecologic Cancer We Treat
Our fellowship-trained gynecologic oncologists are experts in caring for women with reproductive cancers. We bring you the latest advancements in cancer treatment and provide care with warmth and compassion — treatment delivered the way we’d want our own family members to be treated.
The most common cancers we treat include:
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer occurs most often in women under age 50 and is almost always caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common type of sexually transmitted infection.
Ovarian Cancer
Because there is no effective screening test and symptoms are often subtle, it is hard to detect ovarian cancer at an early stage. Ovarian cancer risk increases with age, with most cases occurring after menopause, and is commonly linked with obesity.
Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer
Our team is experienced in treating uterine cancer, the most common gynecologic cancer in the U.S. The risk for uterine cancer increases with age (menopausal or older), estrogen therapy, obesity, diabetes and family or personal history of cancers.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Symptoms of gynecologic cancer can be subtle but may feel like:
- Abdominal or back pain
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding, spotting or discharge
- Bloating, gas or a feeling of fullness
- Changes in bathroom habits (diarrhea, constipation, frequent urination)
- Heavier menstrual bleeding or bleeding that lasts longer than usual
- Pain during intercourse or bleeding after intercourse
- Pelvic pain or pressure
- Unusual fatigue
- Vaginal bleeding after menopause
No one knows your body like you. Early detection of gynecologic cancers can greatly improve your treatment success, so make sure to listen to your body and don’t hesitate to reach out to your primary care doctor if you think you are feeling symptoms of these cancers.
Diagnosis of gynecologic cancers can vary depending on your type of cancer. While gynecologic cancer screening is limited, maintaining a healthy diet and healthy weight are important for lowering your risk of these cancers. Taking birth control pills, pregnancy, breastfeeding and preventive surgeries can also curb your risk of some gynecologic cancers.
If your diagnostic tests find cancer, we refer you for a cancer consultation with an oncologist who specializes in treating gynecologic cancer. This expert reviews your test results and medical history to learn more about your diagnosis and form a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
We know learning you have gynecologic cancer can feel scary. That’s why we are committed to seeing you for a cancer consultation as quickly as possible — often within 48 hours — after your diagnosis so we can discuss treatment options, order additional tests and address any questions without delay.
Cervical Cancer
Unlike other gynecologic cancers, cervical cancer has an effective screening test. Regular pelvic exams and Pap tests are the best ways to detect precancerous cells in the cervix. Vaccines are also available to prevent the most harmful kinds of HPV and genital warts. If you have an abnormal Pap test, your care team may recommend imaging like an MRI or CT scan or a biopsy (tissue sample) to diagnose cancer.
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed through ultrasound or other imaging tests of a suspicious mass. Your provider may also take a biopsy and run blood tests to confirm a diagnosis.
Uterine Cancer
Uterine cancer is diagnosed with a physical exam and biopsy. If you have uterine cancer, other imaging and blood tests can help your care team learn more about your tumor and if your cancer has spread.
Treatments
No two people are alike — and neither are two cervical, ovarian, uterine or other gynecologic cancers. That’s why you deserve a personalized care plan tailored to your needs and your type of cancer. Each week, the Cancer Care team convenes a tumor board that brings together experts from across disciplines to collaborate on customized care plans for you. This collaboration has one common goal — to make sure you get the best possible care. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists, including gynecologists, urologists, radiologists and pathologists who collaborate with surgical, radiation and medical oncologists, is here to care for you through every part of your treatment.
Surgery
As a first-line treatment, your care team may recommend surgery to remove your tumor. In many cases, we can offer minimally invasive robotic-assisted and laparoscopic surgery to give you a quicker recovery with less downtime. We can also perform cryosurgery to freeze the tumor or laser surgery to destroy the tumor with heat energy. If your cancer has spread, your care team may also suggest surgery to remove your uterus, cervix, ovaries or other structures in the pelvis.
Radiation
In addition to surgery, your cancer care team may recommend radiation therapy to target specific parts of your pelvis and lower the risk of cancer coming back. Radiation oncologists at our Radiation Treatment Center have treated thousands of patients, and we have a full set of state-of-the-art external radiation treatments including stereotactic radiosurgery, adaptive radiation therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy. You may also benefit from brachytherapy, or internal radiation therapy, which can offer a much shorter course of treatment. With close collaboration between our gynecologic and radiation oncologists, we are one of the few hospitals in Silicon Valley to treat some kinds of gynecologic cancer with brachytherapy.
Your care team works with you to find the best form of radiation to treat your cancer, which may include a combination of internal and external radiation — the current standard of care for cervical cancer, for example.
Chemotherapy
Anti-cancer drugs, or chemotherapy, can be powerful treatments for many forms of gynecologic cancer. We work with you to determine if chemotherapy is right for you and collaborate on the right combination of anticancer drugs, anti-nausea medicine and pain medication for your needs. El Camino Health is also at the forefront of community hospitals using targeted therapy to treat gynecologic cancer. We analyze your cancer to learn its protein and chemical makeup, then determine which drugs will have the maximum effect in fighting it.
Clinical Trials
We are always looking for the next chance to improve detection, ease treatment and find better cures for your gynecologic cancer. That’s why we collaborate with other medical centers and the National Cancer Institute on gynecologic cancer clinical trials ranging from innovative surgical approaches to new forms of chemotherapy to integrative care options that ease the burden of cancer treatment.
If you’re interested in participating in this leading-edge research, talk to your care team to find a study that’s right for you.
Cancer Awards & Accreditations
Our superior Cancer Care has earned us a three-year accreditation as a comprehensive community cancer program from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Accreditation ensures that the care you receive right here in your community is high-quality and uses evidence-based, national treatment guidelines.
We’re also an ACS Surgical Quality Partner and committed to the highest surgery standards.
Patients rate us highly, too. Based on PressGaney patient satisfaction surveys, our “likeliness to recommend” score is over 90%, and we’ve won the top patient experience award multiple years in a row.
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