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What Are The Rare Gynecological Cancers?
SummaryCancer impacts lives in profound ways, and while awareness has grown, rare forms often remain in the shadows. Curious about some lesser-known gynecologic cancers?
Cancer is a life-changing disease, often life-threatening too. While cancer awareness is relatively better at this day and age, as more and more people are sharing their journey, and some are also documenting it to help others. There remain rare cancers too, including gynecologic cancers.
What Are Some Rare Gynaecologic Cancers?
Fallopian tube cancer: It starts in the tubes connecting the ovaries and uterus
Gestational trophoblastic disease: It forms in the layer of cells that encloses an embryo in pregnant women
Primary peritoneal cancer: Forms within the tissue that lines a woman's abdominal and reproductive organs
Uterine sarcoma: Begins in the muscles or soft tissues of the uterus
Vaginal Cancer: Starts in the vagina and spreads to the external genitals
Vulvar Cancer: Affects the outer part of the female genitals
Risk Factors That Could Lead To These Rare Cancers:
- HPV (human papillomavirus)
- Genital warts
- Hysterectomy
- Abnormal cells
- Cervical or other gynecologic cancer
- Smoking
- HIV
Symptoms
It can be detected early with regular pelvic exams and Pap tests. The common symptoms to note for so you can see your doctor are:
- Unusual bleeding or discharge
- Sores, lumps, or growths
- Persistent itching or burning
- Tenderness or pain, especially during sex or urination
- Changes in skin colour
- Constipation or other changes to bowel movements and urination
- Swollen abdomen
How Can It Be Diagnosed?
A pelvic Examination is one of the ways to diagnose it. This is when the doctor looks at the inside of the vagina and cervix. Pressing ovaries and uterus to check for abnormalities is also part of this examination.
During a pap test, the doctor collects cells from the cervix and looks at it under a microscope. In colposcopy, a magnifying device called a colposcope is used to spot suspicious tissue. In a biopsy, a small tissue sample is extracted for analysis under a microscope and a doctor will look for cancer cells. Lastly, MRI or CT scans and ultrasounds can be used as imaging techniques to locate tumours and see if cancer has spread.
Types of Gynecologic Cancers
The most common form of vaginal and vulvar cancer is caused by squamous cell carcinoma, as it makes up to 85-90% of cases. It starts as a precancerous condition called intraepithelial neoplasia in which abnormal skin cells develop in the lining of the vagina and inside the folds of the vulva.
The other type is adenocarcinoma which forms in mucus cells and glands of the vagina and vulva.
Treatments
The treatments include surgery where robotic surgery is used to ensure that minimally invasive technique is used. The techniques allow for smaller incisions, with less pain and faster recovery.
Chemotherapy given by IV through mouth or applied to the skin also kills cancer cells and is sometimes combined with radiation therapy. It can shrink the tumor before surgery, kill cancer cells that are circulating in the body and slow the growth and control any symptoms of advanced cancer.
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