What you need to know about
gynaecological cancer
What is gynaecological cancer?
Gynaecological cancer is an overarching term that encompasses seven types of cancers that develop from abnormal cells in the ovaries, uterus, endometrium, cervix, vagina, vulva, fallopian tubes, or placenta (a pregnancy-related cancer). In some cases, these cancers can metastasise to other areas of the reproductive system and genitalia, or other parts of the body.
Gynaecological cancer can affect women, trans men, nonbinary, and intersex people.
What are the risk factors for gynaecological cancer?
In Australia, the risk of being diagnosed with gynaecological cancer by the age of 85 is approximately 1 in 23.
Some risk factors associated with the risk of developing gynaecological cancer include:
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Family history of cancer
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Reproductive history
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Inherited mutated genes such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes
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Medical conditions such as endometriosis or a HPV infection
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Exposure to high levels of hormones produced by the body or from medication
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Modifiable lifestyle factors such as tobacco smoking and excess body weight
What are the common symptoms of gynaecological cancer?
Some common symptoms of gynaecological cancer include:
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Feeling full too quickly, loss of appetite, bloating, back pain or abdominal pain, common for ovarian cancer
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Abnormal vaginal bleeding (e.g., after menopause, in between periods or after sex) and unusual discharge, which are common for all gynaecolgoical cancers except vulvar cancer
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Pelvic pain or pressure, as seen in ovarian, uterine and vaginal cancers
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Changes in bladder or bowel habits, which is common for ovarian and vaginal cancers
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Itching, burning or soreness of the vulva and changes in the appearance of the vulva such as lumps, sores or warts, which are only found in vulvar cancer
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Painful sex
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Unexplained weight loss or gain
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Unexplained fatigue
It is important to note that each gynaecological cancer type will present with a different combination of symptoms and may be associated with different risk factors. Because a number of these symptoms can overlap with other medical conditions, it is important to see your GP, especially when you have one or more risk factors.
How is gynaecological cancer diagnosed?
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a pelvic examination
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a pap smear
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blood tests
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a biopsy
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imaging tests
Cervical cancer, in particular, is strongly associated with HPV infection, which rarely has symptoms and is known to cause more than 95% cases of cervical cancer. This is why it is so important to participate in the National Cervical Screening Program (the only screening available for gynaecological cancers), which tests for HPV infection, if you have a cervix and are aged between 25-74.
What is the prognosis for gynaecological cancer?
Currently, people diagnosed with gynaecological cancer have a 71% chance of surviving for at least five years compared to their counterparts in the Australian population.
Unfortunately, gynaecological cancer is among one of the least funded cancer types in Australian cancer research.
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynaecological cancer.
Every 8 hours, we lose a mother, daughter, sister, friend to it.
With research, we can change this.
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