Gynecologic Cancer (cancer of the cervix, ovaries, uterus, vulva)
Cancer of the female reproductive system is treated by the Women's Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview. This clinic was established to provide a comprehensive and coordinated program of care for women with malignant disease of the reproductive tract. Since its inception, the Center has achieved among the highest five-year cancer survival rates in the world as determined by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO).
Our goal at the Women's Cancer Center is to provide the best possible outcome for women with gynecologic cancer. We achieve that goal through innovative treatments centered around the individual needs of each patient. Our team-based approach allows us to evaluate each patient's progress from every perspective and adjust treatment based on her response.
A Center of Excellence
The University of Minnesota is designated as a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health by the Office of Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As one of the largest gynecologic cancer services in the Midwest, we excel in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments.
Gynecologic Cancer Care Team
Peter Argenta, MD - Surgical Oncologist, GYN Surgeon
Linda Carson, MD - Gynecologic Oncologist
Levi Downs Jr., MD - Gynecologic Oncologist
Kathryn Dusenbery, MD - Radiation Oncologist
Melissa Geller, MD - Gynecologic Oncologist
Rahel Ghebre, MD - Gynecologic Oncologist
Patricia Judson, MD - Gynecologic Oncologist
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer remains the single most pressing cancer concern for women in many parts of the world. Cervical cancer has been reduced from the 2nd to the 13th most common cause cancer death in American women during the last century due in large part to successful screening efforts, predominantly involving widespread availability of the Pap smear. Still, more than 14,500 American women are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, and failure to be screened remains one of the most cited causes.
Cervical cancer is thought to be a late development of infection with the human papilloma virus, some strains of which are also responsible for genital warts. The transformation from normal cervical tissue to cancer is thought to typically take years. Highlighting the importance of screening is the fact that dysplasias, or "pre-cancerous changes," are usually detectable months to years before the development of cancer. Treatment of dysplasias can usually be done without major surgery and it is highly successful at preventing cancer from developing.
Learn more about cervical cancer
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer will affect up to 1 in every 70 women during her lifetime. There are about 26,000 women diagnosed each year in the United States. There are numerous forms of ovarian cancer which are generally divided into three classes: epithelial, germ cell, or stromal cancers. Epithelial ovarian cancer is both the most common and most threatening of these, accounting for roughly 85% of all cases of ovarian cancers diagnosed.
Ovarian cancer typically occurs in older women. The average age at diagnosis is 62, but the range extends over virtually every decade of life; and some tumor types (such as germ cell and borderline cancers) occur most commonly in women in their twenties. Ovarian cancer can be "familial" (affecting multiple family members over multiple generations) but most cases are considered "sporadic" meaning that the affected individuals have no obvious risk factors and no significant family history.
Learn more about ovarian cancer
Uterine Cancer
Almost 35,000 women annually are diagnosed with cancer of the uterine lining (also called endometrial cancer) making it the most common of the gynecologic malignancies. Dependting on how advanced endometrial cancer is when diagnosed, treatment can involve surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these.
Learn more about uterine cancer
Vulvar Cancer
Vulvar cancer affects about 3,300 American women annually. Vulvar cancer, like cervical cancer, is associated with the human papilloma virus. A correlation with smoking has also been established, but whether this "causes" vulvar cancer or simply improves the conditions for getting or growing vulvar cancer remains unclear. Vulvar cancer rates in the United States have been increasing in recent decades. Further vulvar dysplasias (pre-cancers), which may precede the diagnosis of cancer by a decade or more, have quadrupled since the mid-1970s, indicating a potential for further rise in the incidence of this disease coming years.
Learn more about vulvar cancer
