Gynecologic Cancers

More than one-third of patients with breast or ovarian cancer or a family history of those diseases who also saw a genetic counselor did not pursue genetic testing for BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutations

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer and the fourth most common cancer.

The demand for genetic services has never been greater. Vast advances in genetic technology, Angelina Jolie's disclosure that she is a BRCA mutation carrier, and the Supreme Court ruling on gene patents have hurled genetic services into the mainstream. Since the Supreme Court ruling last year, the cost of germline (hereditary) genetic testing has plummeted and now includes panels of genes.

A randomized multi-center trial examining the efficacy of adding the prohormone dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA) to a vaginal bioadhesive moisturizer in postmenopausal survivors of breast or gynecologic cancer has found that daily rather than as-needed use of such a moisturizer significantly relieves symptoms of vaginal atrophy in these women, and that when DHEA is added, survivors report significant improvements in sexual desire, arousal, pain, and overall sexual function.

The FDA has approved bevacizumab (Avastin) in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin or paclitaxel and topotecan as a treatment for patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have found that a negative HPV screening test is better at evaluating cervical cancer risk than a negative Pap test.

Do you know that ovarian cancer continues to be the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers? Do you know there is no test that detects ovarian cancer?

Grammy and Tony Award Nominee, Valisia LeKae, was starring in the Broadway role of a lifetime, playing Diana Ross in "Motown The Musical." Then she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

New data has revealed that breastfeeding, tubal ligation, and oral contraceptives may lower the risk of ovarian cancer for some women with BRCA gene mutations,

Persistent infection with specific subtypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) has been definitively linked to progression to cervical cancer.

Healthcare providers are expected to advise patients about the potential effects of cancer treatment, including impact on fertility. In many facilities, it's a required component of the informed consent process.

Women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal cancers should be considered for genetic counseling and testing, even in the absence of a family history.

Nicole Makris, BA, Emory University, discusses the findings that analyzed the HPV vaccination habits of women who have sex with women versus women who have sex with men.

The FDA has granted the first-ever approval for a diagnostic test alternative to Pap smear, the cobas HPV Test, despite objections from a number of organizations and healthcare providers.

Oncology practitioners now have several resources to consult for advice on genetic testing for their patients following the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) December 2013 update of its 2005 BRCA recommendations, plus new recommendations from the American Socieity of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) announced in February and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Women with irregular menstrual cycles have a 2.4-fold increased risk of death from ovarian cancer, according to a large, prospective study presented at the 2014 AACR Annual Meeting.

Ellen T. Matloff, MS, CGC, director, Yale Cancer Genetic Counseling Program at the Yale School of Medicine/Yale Cancer Center, discusses options for BRCA1/2 carriers who are looking to reduce their risk of ovarian cancer.

Leslie R. Schover, PhD, clinical psychiatrist, professor, behavioral science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the web-based intervention Tendrils: Sexual Renewal and Motherhood after Cancer.

Early-stage overweight endometrial and breast cancer survivors had moderate success in lowering their body mass index (BMI) and waste circumference after using the web and smart phone/tablet–based weight loss application "Lose It!"

Physicians may have a clearer understanding of the optimum age for prophylactic oophorectomy in patients with BRCA mutations who want to reduce their risk of ovarian, fallopian tube, and breast cancer

Ellen T. Matloff, MS, CGC, director, Yale Cancer Genetic Counseling Program at the Yale School of Medicine/Yale Cancer Center, discusses prophylactic treatment options outside of oophorectomy for BRCA1/2 carriers.

International researchers from seven countries conducted a prospective study to determine risk reduction of ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation after oophorectomy and examine other factors, such as impact of this procedure on mortality and five year survival.

The genomic instability inherent in serous ovarian cancer poses treatment challenges, but it also represents a target that can be exploited through the use of PARP inhibitors

The "renaissance in immunology" is already affecting treatment paradigms for a variety of gynecologic cancers, and the impact is only likely to expand

Sharon Tollin, PhD, ARNP-BC, OCN®, discusses the unmet need for information regarding patients who have undergone prophylactic risk-reducing surgery (such as mastectomy and removal of tubes and ovaries).

Oncology nurses can lead the way in efforts to protect the next generation from this type of cancer if they know the facts about HPV vaccination for both girls and boys

Lauren McCaulley, BSN, RN, OCN, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland, Ohio, describes ovarian cancer education at her institution.

Cancer centers are beginning to establish oncology nurse navigator programs with integrated processes for assessment, identification, referral, education, care, and support for patients whose gynecologic cancers may be genetically-based.

The decision about whether to get tested for a genetic mutation that may predispose a person to certain cancers is a difficult one for many patients to make. Even more difficult for mutation carriers is deciding whether to undergo a prophylactic surgical procedure.

Due to the high lifetime risk of ovarian cancer and the poor ovarian cancer surveillance options available, women who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations are advised to remove their ovaries and fallopian tubes by age 40 or when childbearing is complete.