General Causes
Peculiarities of the cellular structure of the female reproductive system organs often cause atypical tissue proliferation and the appearance of benign or malignant neoplasms. Unfortunately, the latter have a noticeable priority: about 17% of all cases of oncological diseases in women occur in the reproductive system. The problem is greatly complicated by the asymptomatic course of most diseases in the early stages, when the treatment prognosis is favorable in more than 95% of cases.
According to WHO, the most common female oncological diseases in descending order are breast cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer.
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is the most common female oncological disease. Its presence is determined by ultrasound diagnostics, mammography, ductography and MRI. To eliminate the pathology at early stages, organ-preserving operations are performed, in which the affected part of the mammary gland is partially removed. At later stages, the mammary gland is completely removed by mastectomy.
Cervical cancer
A common cause is the human papilloma virus. Like ovarian cancer, it is asymptomatic in the early stages. Colposcopy and cytological examination help to detect the disease. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery are used to treat the disease. In advanced pathology, these methods are combined. Fortunately, any patient under 45 can insure herself against cervical cancer these days with the HPV vaccination. However, even in this case, it is not recommended to skip annual preventive examinations.
Cancer of the uterine body
This type of disease is characterized by bloody discharge from the genital tract. The disease is diagnosed using histological examination, pelvic ultrasound, as well as CT or MRI. Treatment involves surgical intervention: that is, removal of the uterus, appendages, lymph nodes. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to maintain fertility after the removal of these reproductive organs.
Ovarian cancer
This type of female oncology is considered the most insidious, as its symptoms are noticeable only in the later stages. The tumor can be detected in time using ultrasound diagnostics or MRI of the pelvis. At an early stage, the pathology is treated with a minimally invasive operation. With large tumor sizes, the scope of surgical intervention increases significantly. In both cases, the uterus is removed with the fallopian tubes and ovaries. Most often, treatment is accompanied by chemotherapy.
