Gynecologic cancers affect the reproductive organs in women and include cancers of the cervix, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, vulva, and vagina. Their treatment can be challenging, but newer advancements in medical science have brought hope and improved outcomes.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy utilizes the body’s immune system to target and get rid of cancer cells. Drugs like pembrolizumab and nivolumab have shown effectiveness in certain cases of advanced gynaecologic cancers, offering new options for patients who may not respond well to traditional treatments.
- Precision Medicine: Precision medicine involves tailoring treatments based on the individual characteristics of each patient and their tumor utilizing advanced genetic testing to identify specific mutations or biomarkers that drive cancer growth. Targeting these errors, may lead to improved outcomes and fewer side effects.
- Minimally Invasive Surgery: For some specific early stage cancers, minimally invasive procedures, such as laparoscopy and robotic surgery, allows the removal of tumors with smaller incisions.
- Targeted Therapies: Targeted therapies, is a form of medication that acts only on target cancer cells while sparing normal cells, reducing side effects. For example, PARP inhibitors like olaparib and niraparib are used to treat ovarian and fallopian tube cancers by blocking proteins that help cancer cells repair DNA damage. Currently, patients with BRCA mutations have benefitted maximally with these treatments.
- Combination Therapies: Combining different treatment modalities, that have been listed above, in a logical step wise fashion to improve outcomes. This approach, known as multimodal therapy, is often used in advanced or aggressive gynecologic cancers to attack cancer cells from multiple angles and prevent recurrence.
- Supportive Care: Managing the side effects of cancer treatment is an essential aspect of care. Supportive therapies such as anti-nausea medications, pain management techniques, nutritional support, and psychological counseling can improve patients’ quality of life during treatment and recovery.
- Screening and Early Detection: Pap smears and HPV tests for cervical cancer, mammograms for breast cancer, and pelvic exams, play an important role in detecting gynecologic cancers at an early stage when they are more treatable
