Key points
- Gynecologic cancers can be treated in several ways. It depends on the type of cancer and how far it has spread.
- Treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
- If your doctor says that you have a gynecologic cancer, ask to be referred to a gynecologic oncologist.
Overview
If your doctor says that you have a gynecologic cancer, ask to be referred to a gynecologic oncologist—a doctor who has been trained to treat cancers of a woman's reproductive system. This doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan.
Treatment options
Gynecologic cancers are treated in several ways. It depends on the kind of cancer and how far it has spread. Treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Women with a gynecologic cancer often get more than one kind of treatment.
- Surgery: An operation in which doctors cut out the cancer.
- Chemotherapy: Use of special medicines to shrink or kill the cancer. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given in your veins, or sometimes both.
- Radiation therapy: Use of high-energy rays (similar to x-rays) to kill the cancer.
The National Cancer Institute can help you find health care services.
Which treatment is right for me?
Talk to your cancer doctor about the treatment options available for your type and stage of cancer. Your doctor can explain the risks and benefits of each treatment and their side effects. Side effects are how your body reacts to drugs or other treatments.
Sometimes people get an opinion from more than one cancer doctor. This is called a "second opinion." Getting a second opinion may help you choose the treatment that is right for you.
Clinical trials
Clinical trials use new treatment options to see if they are safe and effective. If you have cancer, you may want to take part. Visit the sites listed below for more information.
- NIH Clinical Research Trials and You (National Institutes of Health)
- Learn About Clinical Trials (National Cancer Institute)
- Search for Clinical Trials (National Cancer Institute)
- ClinicalTrials.gov (National Institutes of Health)
Complementary and alternative medicine
Complementary and alternative medicine are medicines and health practices that are not standard cancer treatments. Complementary medicine is used in addition to standard treatments. Alternative medicine is used instead of standard treatments. Acupuncture and supplements like vitamins and herbs are some examples.
Many kinds of complementary and alternative medicine have not been tested scientifically and may not be safe. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits before you start any kind of complementary or alternative medicine.