Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month – September 2024

History of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month

According to research by the Centers for Disease Control in the United States, approximately 89,000 women are diagnosed with gynecological cancers every year. Unfortunately, about 29,000 die from numerous diseases. That means hundreds of children lose their mothers, and thousands of parents lose their daughters. However, these deaths can be prevented if the signs and symptoms are recognized before the cancers reach a critical stage. It is also important to note that the risk of these cancers increases with age.

The different categories of gynecological cancers include cervical cancer, an infection of the cervix with human papillomavirus (HPV), and uterine cancer, a type of disease where the cancer is formed in the tissues of the uterus. The two types of uterine cancer are endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma. Then there is ovarian cancer that has three types: ovarian epithelial cancer, which begins in the tissue covering the ovary, lining of the fallopian tube, or the peritoneum; ovarian germ cell tumors, which start in the egg or germ cells; and ovarian low malignant potential tumors, that form in the tissue covering the ovary. Other forms of gynecological cancers that require attention include vaginal cancer, uterine sarcoma, and vulvar cancer.

Due to the threat of such critical cancers, Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month was formed by the Foundation for Women’s Cancer (FWC). The purpose behind the month was to spread awareness and encourage research that provides a cure to the thousands of women suffering. According to the American Association for Cancer Research,16,900,000 gynecologic cancer survivors are living in the U.S.