General Info on Pelvic Cancer

About this information

A woman who has recently been diagnosed with cervical cancer, uterine cancer or ovarian cancer, many questions:

• How will it go with me?
• The treatment will be successful?
• Will I still feel like “woman”?

The time of diagnosis and treatment will most experienced as a crisis in life. Uncertainty and anxiety is a natural reaction. Being diagnosed with cancer can be experienced differently from person to person. Here you get information about the various forms of pelvic cancer. For more information, read about individual cancers.

General information about pelvic cancer in women

To be suffering from cancer can be experienced as a shock to most. For a woman who is diagnosed with abdominal cancer, for several reasons feel hard and difficult. The disease can cause physical and emotional changes. It may in particular younger women who may have to deal with, that they will never be able to conceive. Other women find that they lose some of their femininity after surgery and treatment. Finally, most cancers associated with a risk that the disease may reappear and that thought haunts naturally in the mind of many. There are many places to seek information and support – below listed links to some essentials.

Several types of pelvic cancer

Pelvic Cancer is not one type of cancer but can be divided into several types. In the next section will be both the most frequent types of pelvic cancer and precancerous cervical mentioned, although the last condition does not get counted as cancer. The abdomen is the external and internal genitalia and includes the sons of the clitoris, labia, vagina, cervix, uterine lining and muscle tissue, the fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Cell changes

• Over 15,000 South African women being diagnosed each year abnormal cells in the cervix. Cell changes are not cancer and virtually everyone who is diagnosed with precancerous livmorhalskræft becomes completely healed

Cancer of the cervix (cancer cervix uteri)

• Each year approximately 400 South African women cervical cancer. The disease is the ninth most common cancer in women. At many are diseases detected early, and the possibility of cure is therefore good. Treatment may include removal of the cervix or uterus, or chemoradiotherapy

Cancer of the uterus (corpus uteri cancer)

• Each year approximately 700 South African women cancer of the uterine lining. The disease is the fifth most common cancer in women. Women under 45 years are rarely affected by the disease. For many women detect the disease early, when a symptom is bleeding after menopause. The possibility of healing is good

Ovarian cancer (cancer Ovari)

• Each year approximately 600 South African women ovarian cancer. The disease is the sixth most common cancer in women. The risk of disease increases until the age of 60 and young people can also be affected. Ovarian cancer is a serious disease because it often discovered late

More rare forms of abdominal cancer

Cancer of the vulva (vulvar cancer)

• This is a relatively rare cancer that mostly affects older women. There are 80 to 100 new cases each year in South Africa. The symptoms are often visible changes, and sores that do not heal, for example. A warty, hard portion, which may cause itching, burning or irritation. Diagnosis is made by taking into a biopsy (biopsy) in the area. Surgery is the most common treatment, but in some individuals, chemotherapy or radiation therapy become relevant

Cancer of the vagina (vaginal cancer)

• Also this cancer most often affects older women, but it is very rare. Only 10 to 20 new cases are detected annually in South Africa. Vaginal discharge or abnormal bleeding can cause suspicion, but the diagnosis is made by a gynecological examination and biopsy. The treatment may be surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy

What is cancer?

Normal cells divide only to the extent that is necessary for the body to renew itself. But the cells can damage and develop into malignant cells – called cancer cells. The growing excessively and destroy the healthy and normal cells surrounding them. The immune system has several kinds of defense mechanisms against abnormal cells. In many cases, cancer cells are destroyed before they can develop into cancer.

What is a tumor?

A tumor is a collection of cells. In Latin states tumor, which means a limited swelling. Tumors can be benign (benign) or cancerous (malignant) and only the malignant, which are called cancer. Cancer cells divide many thousands of times, before they become a tumor the size of a pea. Some tumors grow quickly other slowly. Therefore, cancer for example. Cervix develop differently from one person in relation to the other.

The cancer can spread

A tumor can grow into blood vessels or lymph vessels. Thereby detached cancer cells will be taken by the blood or lymph to other parts of the body. There they can settle down and form new tumors – also called metastasis. Metastases can also occur in adjacent organs, where the cells “crawling” over to the other body.