Medically reviewed by Kevin Elias, MD Today, cervical cancer is the only type of gynecologic cancer for which there is a routine screening test. The lack of such tests for endometrial and ovarian cancer — the most common gynecologic cancers — makes it especially important that women and their doctors be attuned to the symptoms … Read more
Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is often one component of treatment for gynecologic malignancies such as cervical, vaginal, and endometrial cancer.
Fertility is a common concern among newly diagnosed cancer patients. For women with gynecologic cancer, the ability to have children depends on the type of cancer a woman has and the stage at which it is diagnosed, says Colleen Feltmate, MD, director of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Gynecologic Oncology at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. … Read more
Many associate cancer treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but for many women with gynecologic cancers, surgery is often the first line of defense. Colleen Feltmate, MD, director of minimally invasive surgery in gynecologic oncology at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC), shares insight into surgical options to treat these cancers. Minimally Invasive vs. Open … Read more
Close to 100,000 women are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer in the United States each year. In recognition of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, we’re taking a look at the main types of gynecologic cancers and their symptoms. Cervical cancer In cervical cancer, cancer cells form in the tissues of the cervix, the lower, narrow end … Read more
In gynecologic cancers, immunotherapy is being used in all stages of treatment, and researchers are trying to enhance the effects of different immunotherapy approaches.
Deb Petrishen says well-meaning but frustrating interactions can occur everywhere, from the grocery store to family functions. Although friends and loved ones are often sensitive and supportive, some may not know what to say to someone with stage III ovarian cancer, especially after two recurrences. Petrishen has just as much difficulty explaining her feelings. Except … Read more
Jessica St. Laurent, MD, was sure something had gone wrong. The results of an experiment she’d run showed that the cancer cells she was studying had abnormally high levels of a specific collection of proteins of interest to her team. “I remember seeing the gradient and thinking, This can’t be right,” says St. Laurent, who … Read more
When Donna McDaniel came to Dana-Farber with what she thought was lung cancer in 2024, she could barely walk and struggled to breathe. She’d been treated elsewhere, but the drugs had seemingly stopped working. Her quality of life was suffering, and she couldn’t keep up with her busy catering job at Blue Cross Blue Shield. … Read more
Shelly Sepulveda grew up in Borger, Texas, a Panhandle town with a population of fewer than 10,000 people. A strong sense of connectedness bound the community together, creating long-lasting friendships and a tight-knit feel. When Sepulveda and her wife, Tami, relocated to Medway, Massachusetts, to continue their nursing careers, they found that familiar sense of … Read more
Like many people, Karen Lagasse has never been a big fan of the dentist. But she’ll always be thankful for a 2013 tooth extraction for paving the way to a life-saving discovery. Noticing Lagasse’s elevated blood pressure, her dentist asked when she had last visited the doctor. Lagasse admitted it had been a few years, … Read more
It is now possible to perform cervical cancer screening from the comfort of your own home with a prescribed at-home test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The approved test enables people to collect their own vaginal samples at home and mail them in to a certified lab for testing. The test provides … Read more
The American Cancer Society 2025 Facts and Figures report contained alarming information about cancer rates in young women. Women under 50 are getting cancer more frequently than men of the same age. In 2022, for every young man who got cancer, about 1.5 young women did. Now that number is closer to 1.8. The cause … Read more
In 2021, a novel drug called belzutifan was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat clear cell renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer. Since then, Dana-Farber clinical investigator Panos Konstantinopoulos, MD, PhD, has wanted to launch a clinical trial of the drug for clear cell ovarian cancer. That vision … Read more
Roberta “Bert” Green is a woman with a full and busy life. When not driving across the country with her husband, Ralph, in their RV, she alternates between paddle boarding, walking, e-biking, and skiing with the changing seasons around her rural Vermont home. Retired after a long career as a school neuropsychologist, she also makes … Read more
Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called HPV (human papilloma virus) that is spread through sexual contact. For many people, the virus is cleared by the immune system. But if it isn’t, it can develop into cancer. The virus can be detected through HPV screening that inspects a sample of cervical tissue for the … Read more
Runners call it Heartbreak Hill, but for Michelle O’Brien the long, rising stretch of pavement that crosses the 20-mile point of the Boston Marathon® route represents the top of the mountain. Just over three years after being diagnosed in back-to-back months with two unrelated cancers — invasive breast cancer in December 2020, and then stage … Read more
As Chen Wen Ye nears five years of being cancer-free, Chen has committed herself to helping others facing such issues.
Arliene T. Penn entered the Mrs. Globe pageant in 2023 not to win a title, but rather to spread a very important message on a very large stage. In the end, she did both. Competing as Mrs. British Virgin Islands, Penn reached the semifinals of the international event. Far more important to her, however, was … Read more
An ovarian cyst is not the same as ovarian cancer. Benign ovarian cysts are extremely common, while ovarian cancer is rare. They do share symptoms, such as abdominal bloating, pressure, pain, or swelling. A gynecologist can help you determine if you have a benign ovarian cyst and if you need treatment. Many cysts go away … Read more