There are many reasons why a woman may be prone to developing gynecological cancer; however, research indicates that some classes of genes (oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes) can become damaged (due to smoking, aging, environmental influences, or heredity) and cause uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
This spread of abnormal cells originates from the female reproductive organs: the cervix, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, and vulva. And while there are five common types of gynecologic cancers women get: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar cancer, there is also a sixth and very rare cancer of the fallopian tubes.
one. Cervical cancer – It begins at the lower, narrow end of the uterus that connects to the upper end of the vagina. Usually caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer tends to affect mainly women in their 30s and older. When diagnosed early, cervical cancer is highly treatable, resulting in a high survival rate.
two. Ovarian cancer- It begins in the ovaries, which are located on each side of the uterus, and is responsible for more deaths than any other cancer associated with the female reproductive system. Although, when caught early, ovarian cancer treatments tend to be quite effective.
3. Uterine cancer – It begins in the uterus, which is the pear-shaped organ in a woman’s pelvis, and where the baby grows while a woman is pregnant. Although the risk of being diagnosed with uterine cancer increases with age (after menopause), all women are at risk for it.
Four. Vaginal cancer – It begins in the vagina, the hollow, tube-shaped canal at the bottom of the uterus that runs to the outside of the body. Although virginal cancer is considered rare in most women, all women are at risk for it.
5. Vulvar cancer – it begins in the vulva, which is the external part of the female genital organ (rather like the foreskin of a male penis), and when combined with virginal cancer, accounts for 6% to 7% of all cancer cases gynecological diagnosed in the US
There is a sixth gynecological cancer, fallopian tube cancer which begins in the fallopian tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus; although, this type of cancer is so old that it is hardly ever talked about.
Each gynecologic cancer has its own unique set of signs and symptoms, along with risk factors (chance of developing the disease) and prevention strategies. In general, though, when common gynecologic cancers are diagnosed early (because frequent screening is recommended), most can be treated fairly effectively.