Gynecologic Cancer

Two women hugging in a kitchen with coffee cups and fresh fruit on the counter.

A Whole-Person Approach to Gynecologic Cancer Care

You’re more than our patient. You’re a person with hopes, fears, dreams and family. As your dedicated care team, we’re here to help you face gynecologic cancer with innovative treatments, nutritional guidance, emotional support and more.

Our team is here, not just to help you heal, but to nurture both your mind and spirit as you face this highly sensitive cancer. From diagnosis to treatment and beyond, you’ll have access to our state-of-the-art clinical research center and to experienced physicians whose patient success rates exceed the national average.

Multidisciplinary Approach

Your team of oncology physicians, radiologists, nurses and counselors is working toward a common goal: your overall wellness and helping you overcome gynecologic cancer, with a focus on everything from your day-to-day nutrition to staying active.
A High Caliber of Care

When you come to us for gynecologic cancer treatment, you can rest assured that you'll be in great hands. Our team is committed to excellence in clinical research and innovative robotic surgery, and regularly trains other physicians to treat this unique cancer with a focus on whole-person healing.
Exclusive Healing Techniques

As we treat your cancer, we’re not just focused on targeting your cancer cells. We’re also focused on preserving your healthy tissue and keeping your treatment experience as effective, quick and minimally invasive as possible. That’s why many of our locations participate in clinical trials that pioneer new ways to treat cancer, giving you more options than ever before.

You deserve the utmost privacy and respect when it comes to your reproductive health. We know that navigating a gynecologic cancer diagnosis or condition can feel overwhelming, but you aren’t alone. No matter your unique diagnosis, our oncologists are well-versed in treating these conditions, so you can rest assured you’re in good hands.

Chemotherapy: Understanding Chemotherapy
Nothing matters more to us than getting you well, and getting you home. Depending on what type of gynecologic cancer you have and how advanced it is, chemotherapy may play an essential role in successfully treating it. That includes ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and some advanced vulvar and vaginal cancers. Chemotherapy may be the only treatment you receive, or, more commonly, it’s used in combination with surgery and/or radiation therapy.

How Does Chemotherapy Work?
Using a combination of specialized drugs, chemotherapy has the power to destroy or slow down the growth of fast-growing cancer cells in every part of your body. It can be administered intravenously, orally, or by injection.
Depending on your type of gynecologic cancer, your oncology team will determine which drug or combination of drugs makes the most sense for you. Our Gynecologic Oncology Program also offers patients a wide range of clinical trials for chemotherapy treatments. Along the way, we're here to help however we can, answering any questions and helping you stay strong and optimistic before, during, and after your treatment.

Learn More About Chemotherapy Treatment
Radiation: Understanding Your Treatment Options

Radiation Therapy: What to Expect
While radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for gynecologic cancer, at AdventHealth Cancer Institute, we do it with uncommon expertise, guidance, and compassion. Using sophisticated radiation technology, we can target tumors in and around your cervix, vagina, ovaries, and uterus with amazing precision, easing your pain and leaving healthy tissue untouched. Depending on your diagnosis, your dedicated team may recommend radiation alone, but in many cases, we combine it with surgery and chemotherapy.

How Does Radiation Therapy Work?
Our oncology experts take an individualized approach to every patient’s treatment plan. Radiation therapy targets specific areas of the body, shrinking tumors and killing cancer cells by damaging their DNA.
When treating digestive tract cancer, radiation therapy is usually delivered one of three ways:
External radiation, which delivers radiation in a concentrated beam to keep nearby healthy tissue unaffected, often using imaging to guide the treatment.
Internal radiation delivers concentrated doses of radiation guided by ultrasound, keeping healthy nearby tissue safer.
Systemic radiation is a treatment that is swallowed or injected and then travels through your bloodstream to target and shrink cancer cells.
Throughout your treatment, your nurses and your radiology care team are there to keep you and your support system informed, comfortable, and uplifted.

Learn More About Radiation Therapy
Surgery: Understanding Surgery

What Makes the Patient Experience Different

If surgery is part of your treatment plan, it’s reassuring to know that your health is in the hands of specialized surgeons. As a recognized leader in gynecologic cancer care, we’re helping patients heal through innovative surgical care day in and day out.

Options for Surgery
Surgical procedures for gynecologic cancer can be a promising step forward on your path to healing. Your dedicated team of cancer specialists will review every detail of your medical history and recent tests to recommend the strongest, most effective treatment plan for you. Surgery may be the only treatment you need, or it can also be used in combination with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Gynecologic cancer surgery can mean a hysterectomy, which is the removal of the uterus and, usually, the cervix. We’ll perform either a simple or radical hysterectomy:
Simple hysterectomy is a procedure for early-stage cancers in which the surgeon removes the uterus and cervix, leaving the surrounding organs safely untouched.
Radical hysterectomy is a procedure in which the uterus, cervix, top of the vagina, and sometimes ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed for a fuller cancer treatment.
We can perform hysterectomies in a number of ways:
Abdominal hysterectomy is when the surgeon makes an incision across the abdomen to gain access to and remove organs.
Vaginal hysterectomy requires no incision, and the surgeon removes the uterus and cervix through the vagina.
Laparoscopic hysterectomy is a minimally-invasive procedure to remove organs through small incisions. It is quicker, less painful, and leaves smaller scars.
Da Vinci® Robotic hysterectomy is a newer strategy for surgeries and uses a state-of-the-art robotic tool for higher precision, fewer scars, and a quicker recovery.
Whatever the procedure, we’ll guide you through from pre-op to post-op recovery with open arms and soothing spirits.

Learn More About Oncology Surgery

We take a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to your cancer care, which means different types of specialists work together as a team to determine the most personalized and effective treatment plan for you.

Lowell Byers, MD

Gynecologic Oncology
Alexa Byrd, APRN, FNP-C

Gynecologic Oncology
Robert Holloway, MD

Gynecologic Oncology, OBGYN
Andrew Keller, MD

Radiation Oncology
James Kendrick, MD

Gynecologic Oncology, OBGYN
Jessica Kennard, DO

Gynecologic Oncology
Melanie Knight, BSN, CNOR, CRNFA, APRN, FNP-C, CGRA

Oncology
Sara Lange, MD

Gynecologic Oncology
Nathalie McKenzie, MD

Gynecologic Oncology, OBGYN
Brenda Shoup, MD

Gynecologic Oncology
Guru P Sonpavde, MD

Hematology and Oncology
Niki Switzer, APRN, FNP-C

Gynecologic Oncology
Ragan VanLeeuwen, APRN, FNP-C

Gynecologic Oncology

We know you may have many questions about gynecologic cancer, but rest assured, our board-certified physicians and expert care teams are here to help. Find answers to commonly asked questions about gynecologic cancer below.

Question: What are the warning signs or symptoms of gynecologic cancer?
Answer:
Signs and symptoms of gynecologic cancer can vary from person to person, but common symptoms include:
Abdominal or back pain
Abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge
Bloating
Changes in vulva color or skin, like rash, sores or warts
Constipation
Difficulty eating
Feeling full too quickly
Itching, burning, pain or tenderness of the vulva
More frequent or urgent need to urinate
Pain or bleeding during intercourse
Pelvic pain or pressure
Question: What types of cancer count as gynecologic cancer?
Answer:
There are five main types of gynecologic cancer, including ovarian, cervical, vaginal, vulvar and uterine. Fallopian tube cancer is a sixth type that falls under the umbrella of gynecologic cancer, but it’s extremely rare, affecting less than 2% of all women with gynecologic cancer.
Cervical cancer: Cancer cells forming in the lower, narrow end of the uterus
Ovarian cancer: Cancer cells forming in the ovaries, which are located on either side of the uterus (may also begin in the fallopian tubes)
Uterine cancer: Cancer cells forming in the muscle and supporting tissues of the uterus, the pear-shaped organ in a woman’s pelvis
Vaginal cancer: Cancer cells forming in the vagina, the canal leading from the cervix to the outside of the body
Vulvar cancer: Cancer cells forming in the tissues of the vulva, the outer part of the female genitals
Fallopian tube cancer: Cancer cells forming in the tissue covering the ovary or lining the fallopian tube or peritoneum
Question: What causes gynecologic cancer, and what are the risk factors?
Answer:
Each type of gynecologic cancer has unique causes and risk factors, so it’s important to have a basic understanding of each.
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Cervical Cancer Causes and Risk Factors
The main cause of cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV is a common virus that’s passed between people during intercourse. It’s estimated that at least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point, but few get cervical cancer. Risk factors of cervical cancer include:
Lack of screening
Multiple sexual partners
Smoking
Weakened immune system
Ovarian Cancer Causes and Risk Factors
Ovarian cancer occurs when cells in the ovaries grow and multiply rapidly or when certain inherited gene mutations, such as BRCA1, BRCA2 or those linked to Lynch syndrome, are present. Risk factors for developing ovarian cancer include:
Having endometriosis
Not giving birth
Older age
Radiation exposure to the pelvis
Starting menopause after 52
Starting your menstrual cycle before age 12

Uterine Cancer Causes and Risk Factors
The most common cause of uterine cancer is a hormonal imbalance, often an excess of estrogen. This excess causes the uterine lining to thicken, which may lead to the growth of cancerous cells. The largest risk factor for developing uterine cancer is being obese. Other risk factors for developing uterine cancer include:
Being 50 or older
Having family members with uterine, colon or ovarian cancer
Having had trouble getting pregnant
Taking estrogen hormones without progesterone during menopause

Vaginal Cancer Causes and Risk Factors
Research shows that around 75% of vaginal cancer cases are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Risk factors for developing vaginal cancer include:
Being 70 or older
Excessive alcohol consumption
Exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES)
Having cervical cancer
Having vaginal adenosis
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Smoking
Vaginal irritation

Vulvar Cancer Causes and Risk Factors
While the main cause of vulvar cancer is still unknown, HPV is thought to be one of the main causes. However, other factors can put you at a greater risk of developing vulvar cancer, including:
Being 70 or older
Having HIV
History of other genital cancers
Smoking
Vulvar lichen sclerosus
Vulvar squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL)

Fallopian Tube Cancer Causes and Risk Factors
The exact cause of fallopian tube cancer is unknown. But several factors put you at a greater risk of developing it, including:
Being older than 63
Endometriosis
Ethnicity
Family history
Genetic mutations, like BRCA1 and BRCA2
Having never been pregnant
Having your first full-term baby after age 35
Lynch syndrome
Obesity

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Question: Is there a screening test for gynecologic cancer?

Answer:

Currently, cervical cancer is the only type of gynecologic cancer that can be detected through a screening. All other types of gynecologic cancers, including ovarian, uterine, vulvar, vaginal and fallopian tube, rely on identifying symptoms for a diagnosis.

Continue Reading

Two screening tests can be performed to test for gynecologic cancer: the HPV test and the Pap test. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common sexually transmitted infection that can cause gynecologic cancer. An HPV screening test for HPV by looking at pieces of your cervical cells’ DNA.
The Pap test, also called a Pap smear, is a screening test that checks for cancerous cells in the cervix. A small amount of cervical cells is collected and examined for both cancerous and precancerous changes.

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Question: Does a Pap test detect all gynecologic cancers?

Answer:

No, a Pap test cannot detect all types of gynecologic cancers; it can only test for cervical cancer. All other types of gynecologic cancers rely on symptoms for diagnosis. Talk with your doctor if you suspect any type of gynecologic cancer, and they’ll be able to help you determine your best next steps.
Question: When should I see a doctor about possible gynecologic cancer symptoms?

Answer:

If you’re experiencing any signs of gynecologic cancer, visit your doctor immediately. Most gynecologic cancers are treatable and even curable if caught early, which is why it’s important that you stay in tune with your body and know what is and isn’t normal for you.
We hope you never get a gynecologic cancer diagnosis. But if you do, you can feel confident in your care knowing that our compassionate oncologists are here to provide the medical expertise you need with the uncommon compassion you deserve.

Whether you’re experiencing concerning symptoms or have been recently diagnosed, you won’t face gynecologic cancer alone. Find the strength and support you need at our AdventHealth Cancer Institute. We offer specialized care and wholehearted support for cervical, vaginal, ovarian, uterine, vulvar and other gynecologic cancers — all coordinated through a trusted national network. Explore our locations or let our team guide you to the one that’s right for you, so you can focus on what matters most: healing.

Gynecologic Cancer

A Whole-Person Approach to Gynecologic Cancer Care

More Personalized Care, Better Outcomes

Multidisciplinary Approach

A High Caliber of Care

Exclusive Healing Techniques