Gynecologic Cancers

Gynecologic cancers include malignancies of the female genital tract involving the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries.

According to the American Cancer Society, 91,730 women in 2013 will be diagnosed with some form of gynecologic cancer. Uterine cancer, cervical cancer and ovarian cancer are the most common. They account for 84,140 new cases each year. Widespread screening with the Pap test has allowed doctors to find pre-cancerous changes in the cervix and vagina. This has helped catch some invasive cancers early.

Epithelial cells form the outer layer of tissue around the ovary.  This layer of tissue is called the epithelium.  Most ovarian cancers start in the epithelial cells.  Ovarian cancer that starts in these cells is called epithelial ovarian cancer, but is simply referred to as ovarian cancer.  Ovarian cancer cells can grow out of control as well as spread to and grow into (invade) other tissues and organs.  Ovarian cancer often invades the Fallopian tubes and uterus.

Borderline ovarian cancer has cells that have developed the abnormal capacity to spread from the ovary and grow on other organs in the belly area (abdomen).  However, they have not developed the abnormal capacity to invade normal tissues.  They are abnormal, but aren’t clearly cancer.  Borderline ovarian cancer is very rare.