The Basics
What are women's cancers?
These cancers affect only women (cancers of the female reproductive system), or
usually affect only women (breast cancer). They include cancers of the uterus, ovaries,
cervix, vagina, vulva, and breast.
This Web page helps you get the facts about each type:
- Uterine cancer and endometrial cancer. Cancers of the uterus, the
pear-shaped organ in a woman's pelvis in which a fetus develops, include endometrial
cancer. This type of cancer forms in the lining of the uterus. It is estimated that
43,470 women in the US will develop endometrial cancer in 2010
- Rare uterine cancers. Uterine sarcomas and gestational trophoblastic
tumors are 2 less common types of uterine cancer. A uterine sarcoma is a cancer
of the muscle or connective tissue of the uterus. It usually occurs after menopause.
A gestational trophoblastic tumor develops from trophoblastic cells, which help
an embryo attach to the uterus and help form the placenta. This type of tumor develops
in pre-menopausal women after fertilization of an egg by a sperm
- Ovarian cancer. The ovaries are a pair of glands in which the ova,
or eggs, are formed. An estimated 21,880 women will be diagnosed with a cancer of
the ovaries in 2010
- Cervical cancer. Cancer can sometimes develop in the cervix, the
organ connecting the uterus and vagina. This type of cancer is almost always caused
by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. It's estimated that 12,200 women in the
United States will develop cervical cancer in 2010
- Vaginal cancer. The vagina, or birth canal, leads from the cervix
(the opening of the uterus) to the outside of a woman's body. Squamous cell carcinoma
is the most common type of vaginal cancer. This disease develops in the thin, flat
cells lining the vagina. An estimated 2300 women in the United States will develop
a cancer of the vagina or other female genitalia in 2010
- Vulvar cancer. The vulva region consists of the external female
genital organs, including the clitoris, vaginal lips, and the opening to the vagina.
An estimated 3900 US women will develop a vulvar cancer in 2010
Find out more about several types of cancer.
Through CancerInformation.com, sanofi-aventis offers in-depth information on several
types of cancer, how they're diagnosed and staged, and how they can be treated.
Get empowered through education.
Visit CancerInformation.com