What Is Gynecologic Cancer?

Cancer is named after the body part where it originates. Gynecologic cancer starts in the female reproductive organs, and all women are at risk of being diagnosed with it. There are five main types:

•  Cervical cancer - The cervix is located at the bottom of the uterus and connects the uterus to the vagina.

• Endometrial/uterine cancer - The uterus is a hollow pear-shaped organ where the fetus, or unborn baby, grows and develops. The uterus is also called the womb.

• Ovarian cancer - The ovaries are small oval-shaped glands located on each side of the uterus where eggs, or ovum, and hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are produced.

• Vaginal cancer - The vaginal canal connects the external genitalia to the body’s internal reproductive organs.

• Vulvar cancer - The vulva, or external genitalia, includes the labia majora, labia minora, urethra or bladder opening, vaginal opening and clitoris.

I’ll discuss each type of gynecologic cancer in more detail in future issues of Living With Gynecologic Cancer.

Let’s first take a look at what causes cancer. I’m going to throw a lot of terminology at you that may remind you of being back in high school biology class. Don’t let that scare you.

What Is DNA?

The human genome contains a complete set of DNA, which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, instructions found inside the nucleus of the cell. It’s our body’s instruction manual and contains all the genetic information that our body needs to function. The genome has 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Every cell in our body contains an exact copy of our DNA, which is made up of two long strands that twist around each other, forming a shape that resembles a twisted ladder, also called a double helix. Each strand is made up of four bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). The bases attach to each other (A connects with T and C connects with G) forming chemical bonds called base pairs, which connect the strands together, forming the rungs of a ladder. Groups of bases along these strands code for proteins called genes that carry the genetic material that controls how our body grows and develops.

What Is Cancer?

Cells are the building blocks of life. The human body contains trillions of cells; the female body alone contains 28 trillion cells (the number 28 followed by 12 zeros). That’s a lot of cells, and sometimes things go awry. We’ll talk about mutations in the next section.

Cancer is defined as the process through which cells begin to grow out of control and start to spread into surrounding areas of the body. There are three main genes — that are often called the “drivers” of cancer — that can lead to cancer:

• proto-oncogenes

• tumor suppressor genes

• DNA repair genes

Proto-oncogenes are responsible for normal cell growth and division. When genetic changes happen, these genes can turn into oncogenes, or cancer-causing genes, that continue to grow.

Tumor suppressor genes are also responsible for cell growth and division. These genes help keep normal cells in check. When genetic changes happen, cancer cells ignore signals that tell them to stop growing or die — a process called apoptosis, or cell death — and continue to grow.

When DNA gets damaged, DNA repair genes step up to fix it. Damaged cells can develop additional mutations and chromosomal changes that cause cells to become cancerous.

What Are Mutations?

Our cells are constantly growing and dividing, a process called cell division, with new cells replacing older cells. Normally, this process goes smoothly and the DNA in our cells copies, or replicates, itself so new cells contain the same genetic material as the older cells.

However, mistakes happen and genetic changes, or mutations, occur because:

• an error occurs when the cells divide

• the DNA is damaged from environmental exposure

• they were inherited from our parents

The body normally gets rid of damaged cells before the cells become cancerous and turn into cancer cells. Cancer cells are abnormal or damaged cells that grow out of control forming tumors, which can be malignant or benign.

What Is Metastatic Cancer?

Cancer cells can metastasize — or break away from the original tumor, also called the primary tumor — and travel through the blood stream or lymph system to other parts of the body where they form new (metastatic) tumors through a process called metastasis. The metastatic tumor cancer cells are the same as the cancer cells of the primary tumor.

What Do The Cancer Statistics Tell Us?

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 116,930 new cases of gynecologic cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2024, and 33,850 women will die from the disease.

Let’s break the stats down:

• Cervical Cancer - An estimated 13,820 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed, and 4,360 women will die from the disease.

• Endometrial Cancer - An estimated 67,880 new cases of endometrial cancer will be diagnosed, and 13,250 women will die from the disease. 

•  Ovarian Cancer - An estimated 19,680 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed, and 12,740 women will die from the disease. 

Have you been diagnosed with gynecologic cancer? Please share in the comments.

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