Gynecological Cancers

September is National Gynecological Cancers Awareness Month. We aren't going to list all the symptoms and treatment options for the six types of cancer listed, but there are links provided that will provide more information. There are a number of cancers that fall under the description of "gynecological":

• Cervical - an estimated 12,710 new cases will be diagnosed in 2011. Virtually all cases of cervical cancer (over 99%) are caused by some strain of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The virus also causes some cancers of the vulva, vagina and penis. A vaccine is recommended for females between the ages of 9 and 26 which prevents the most common of the strains of HPV, which account for over 70% of the newly diagnosed cases of cervical cancer. 
• Endometrial (Uterine Corpus) - The National Cancer Institute predicts 46,470 new cases will be diagnosed in 2011, with 8,120 women dying from the disease. It is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system, accounting for approximately 6 percent of all cancers in women in the United States.
• Fallopian Tube - Primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube is one of the rarest gynecological cancers. Only about 1,500 to 2,000 cases have ever been reported in the United States. Secondary cancers due to metastasis from the ovaries, endometrium, gastrointestinal tract or breast are more common.
• Gestational Trophoblastic Disease - Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a set of diseases that arise from cells related to pregnancy that become cancerous. Hydatidiform moles occur in about 1 pregnancy out of 1,000 in the United States and Europe. Choriocarcinoma, a malignant form of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), is even less common, affecting approximately 1 pregnancy out of 40,000 in the United States.
• Ovarian - An estimated 21,990 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. It will account for about 3% of all cancers among women. The good news is that we have seen a 9% decline in the incidence of ovarian cancer since 1992. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other gynecological cancer. For this reason, ongoing research studies and awareness education are still vital.
• Vulvar -Although this type of cancer is rare, the symptoms can be confused with those of sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes. It's important to communicate with your gynecologist if you are concerned about any of the symptoms listed for vulvar cancer since it may take a while for outward signs to develop.

As with all cancers, one of the best things an individual can do to manage their health is to have a good relationship with a physician. Scheduling annual exams, routine screenings according to medical guidelines, and quick attention to anything out of the ordinary are indispensable habits to develop when hoping to catch  problems early and prevent them from becoming a more serious threat to one's health.

In addition to the screenings recommended, family history could indicate a need for closer attention being paid to certain potential issues. Many kinds of cancer have a genetic component, and may necessitate screenings earlier than the recommended age. Family history of illness should be discussed with your physician.

Northwest Arkansas Cancer Registry

If you have browsed our website (and if you haven't - you should!) you may have seen that we have "the largest regional cancer registry in the state of Arkansas". Then you probably thought "Well, that's nice." But you probably also wondered what exactly it means to have a cancer registry at all, let alone the largest.

First, a basic definition:
A cancer registry is a data system designed to collect, manage and analyze health information of patients who have been diagnosed and treated for cancer. One goal of a cancer registry is to help assess and control the impact of cancer on the community where the registry is located. The primary goal is to improve care to cancer patients.


Where does the information come from?

The Northwest Arkansas Cancer Registry has been collecting cancer information since 1986 for all area hospitals and started collecting information from clinics and physicians' offices in 2001. the Registry reports this information to the Arkansas Central Cancer Registry for those hospitals and medical facilities that participate. Participation is required by law for all hospitals, clinics, physicians' offices or any facility that provides screening, diagnostic or therapeutic services for cancer patients. Information regarding Arkansas law and regulations can be found at Healthy Arkansas or by calling 1-800-462-0599.


How is the information used?
The information that is gathered is compared with that of other patients who have similar cancer diagnoses. Each facility can analyze their particular data and compare to all Northwest Arkansas data, Arkansas data and even data at the national level.

The NWA Cancer Registry can also release statistical information such as the frequency of certain types of cancer, demographic information such as age, sex and residence at the time of diagnosis, extent of disease at the time of diagnosis, types of treatment received and survival information. All information released is done so strictly for statistical purposes, no personal patient information is divulged to outside sources.


How current is the information we collect?
The Registry staff sends a brief annual questionnaire to participating physicians and former cancer patients. The questionnaires ask about the patient's vital and cancer status, any further cancer treatment, changes in address and new physicians the patient may be seeing. The Registry must keep up with any change in the patient's status in order to provide accurate reporting for statistical research and, ultimately, improved cancer care.

For more information on the Northwest Arkansas Cancer Registry, contact Pat Overton at 1-800-458-8954.