Breast, Cervical, and Gynecologic Cancers
We know you don’t have time to wait. So we put all our women’s imaging technology together. That means all of your treatment, your care, clinical trials, your support team is right here, in one place. So you receive answers fast. And humankindness even faster.
Breast & Gynecologic Cancers at a Glance
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States which is why regular screenings are so important. We've made it easy and convenient for you to schedule your mammogram online at Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.
Steps to Diagnosis
Prevention
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Symptoms
A lump in the breast or under the arm may be a sign of breast cancer. Any change to the size or shape of the breast or nipple, unexpected discharge, skin irritation or changes, or pain in the breast can indicate breast cancer. However, most breast cancer patients aren’t experiencing symptoms when they are diagnosed. There are several types of gynecologic cancers. The most common of them are ovarian, uterine, cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. Symptoms vary depending on the type, but usually involve pelvic pain, swelling, bleeding, or abnormal growth in the affected region.
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Steps to Diagnosis
If your annual mammogram or other screening reveals potential breast cancer, your physician may refer you to a specialist. You may undergo a biopsy or other diagnostic tests, as well as a new physical exam, a medical history review, and in some cases, a referral to a genetic counselor. At Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, we offer 3-D mammography with easy online scheduling through InQuicker. Schedule your appointment today. If gynecologic cancer is suspected, your referral may be to a gynecologic oncologist. Testing options include biopsy, imaging tests like an MRI or ultrasound, and a more extensive physical exam.
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Common Concerns
In America, every woman has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. It is the most common cancer in the US. Men can develop breast cancer, but it is a less common occurrence. Similarly, one in 20 women will be affected by a gynecologic cancer of some type in their lifetime. Early detection and screening is key for exposure to HPV (Human Papillomavirus) for cervical cancers, and some vaginal and vulvar cancers.
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Prevention
Regular screenings are the best way to catch cancer early. That includes annual mammograms for breast cancer, and the Pap test, HPV test, and regular screenings for gynecologic cancer. If you are under 26, an HPV vaccine can help prevent many types of gynecologic cancers. You can also minimize your risk of cancer by eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet and exercising 3 of more hours per week to maintain a normal body weight (BMI of less than 25). Limiting your alcohol consumption can also significantly lower your risk.
Treatment
Your care team will carefully consider and discuss treatment options that are right for you, based on the type of malignancy, genetic profile, patient lifestyle, and individual resources.
Removal of the tumor and surrounding healthy tissue. This can range from minimally-invasive or robot-assisted surgery to a complete mastectomy.
High-powered energy beams, such as X-rays, are used to kill cancer cells directly. We also have expertise in brachytherapy, which is high-dose radiation therapy that delivers radiation precisely to the tumor bed. This approach spares healthy tissue and minimizes the after effects of the radiation.
Intravenous and/or oral medication that attacks and kills cancer cells in the body.
Therapy focused on blocking the growth and spread of cancer cells.
Therapy designed to block the effects of hormones that are stimulating cancer cell growth.
Our Approach
There’s nobody quite like you. That’s why your cancer care plan should be completely built around you. Our patient-centric approach will tailor treatment to your needs and offer the opportunity to participate in clinical trials. These include cancer-specific trials, as well as general trials based on our patient’s individual molecular and genetic makeup.
Our interdisciplinary team considers the right care plan from multiple perspectives, often consulting with internal experts to gather up-to-the-moment insight on treatment options.
Then, your course of treatment will be designed to suit your exact personal medical needs, using medicine to do the most good while remaining minimally invasive. That means we’re focused not just on eradicating the disease, but on preserving your quality of life before, during, and after your treatment.
We are here to help you heal as a whole person. Wherever your care path leads, you can be sure our entire team will be there with you every step of the way.
Patient Testimonial
Continuing Support
Wherever your individual care plan takes you, we’ll work closely with you to understand your preferences, and your needs – and be sure any additional support is ready when you need it, including:
- Dietary or nutrition advisors, providing special focus and attention for chemo patients
- Genetic counselors to help you understand your risk factors
- Social workers dedicated to easing your emotional burdens and helping with community benefits
- Financial counselors to help you understand the financial aspect and work with you to reduce the burden when possible
- Specialty pharmacy liaisons who help authorize your prescriptions and educate you on managing side effects and taking your medicine properly
- Nurse navigators to help guide you throughout the cancer institute, every step of the way
- Physical and rehabilitation therapists who provide integrated care alongside your primary care plan
Frequently Asked Questions on Breast Health
Dignity Health offers the most advanced procedures in colorectal cancer surgery. Our team of oncology experts are sensitive to your urgent needs and have compassion and humankindness. Our specialists work side-by-side to carefully review complex cases and develop personalized treatment plans.
Our skilled surgeons use minimally invasive surgical procedures to reduce risk and optimize outcomes. We invest in advanced imaging technologies and radiation therapies to target tumors with greater precision.
You should choose Dignity Health because we’ve built a reputation for innovative therapies and surgical techniques that minimize the need for temporary or permanent colostomies. Our holistic approach is evident in services designed to treat the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.
The Breast Cancer Program at Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s is dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The average risk for breast cancer in a woman’s lifetime up to age 90 is approximately 12 percent. Risk increases with age, but according to the National Cancer Institute, even at age 70, the typical woman’s risk is less than 4 percent, which means she has slightly more than a 96 percent chance of not being diagnosed with breast cancer by age 70.
The risk is there for every woman as she ages, and doctors agree that vigilance is the key to catching breast cancer and treating it with the best chance of curing it and ensuring survival. Approximately 95 percent of breast cancer patients whose cancer is caught in an early stage survive beyond five years. The key to determining how best to monitor your breast health is a frank discussion with your doctor about how often you should have a screening mammogram once you reach age 40, based on your personal risk factors.
Men are also at risk of developing breast cancer, although it is very rare in men. According to the National Cancer Institute, each year there are about 2,300 new cases of breast cancer in men compared to about 230,000 new cases in women.
For more information about breast cancer or to schedule an appointment, please call (602) 406-8222.
Breast cancer can take on many forms and may be referred to by any of the following terms.
Ductal Carcinoma – Breast cancer located in the lining of the milk ducts.
Lobular Carcinoma – Breast cancer located in the milk glands.
Invasive – Breast cancer that spreads beyond where it began in the breast to surrounding tissue, also referred to as metastasizing. About 230,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer cases occur each year.
Non-Invasive - Breast cancer that is confined to where in the breast it began. About 50,000 cases of non-invasive breast cancer occur each year.
Hormone-Receptor Positive – This means the breast cancer tumor cells contains hormone receptors. Hormone therapy can be used to block estrogen and/or progesterone production in order to slow or stop the growth of hormone-sensitive (or hormone-dependent) breast cancers.
Hormone-Receptor Negative – This means the breast cancer tumor cells do not contain hormone receptors. Hormone therapy would not be an effective treatment to slow or stop the growth of a tumor.
The most important step to take if breast cancer is suspected from a mammogram or other screening modality is to see a specialist for a consultation. The breast cancer experts at Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s can guide you through what you should do next. You can make an appointment with one of our breast cancer specialists by calling (602) 406-8222.
If an oncologist determines that you have breast cancer, treatment will be developed just for you and personalized to your needs. A treatment suited for another woman whose situation is similar to yours may not be the same treatment that’s best for you. One of the hallmarks of the Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s is the commitment to provide tailored treatment for every patient, based on their genetic profile, lifestyle, and individual circumstances.
Because breast changes are not always caused by cancer, every patient at the Center receives a thorough evaluation that includes a physical exam and questions about personal and family medical history. Sometimes a referral is made to a genetic counselor since about 10% of breast cancer is related to the genes you inherited. A biopsy and other diagnostic tests are available for every patient.
Treatment you may receive
There are three ways to treat breast cancer: surgery, radiation, and medications. Surgery and radiation are two important types of treatment for assuring control of the cancer. Your oncologist at the Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s will help you understand which treatment is most appropriate for you.
Questions to ask your oncologist
- How will you determine whether I have breast cancer and what kind of breast cancer I have?
- How will you determine the best treatment for me?
- How long does each treatment option typically last, both individually and as a series of treatments?
- How will you know if the treatment is making progress?
- How long will I need to remain your patient?
For more information about various types of cancer, cancer staging and treatment options, click on this link from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN): NCCN Guidelines for Patients® - nccn.org/patients/default.aspx.
For more information about breast cancer or to schedule an appointment, please call (602) 406-8222.
You can minimize your risk of developing breast cancer through these four steps:
- Exercising 3 or more hours per week.
- Eating low-fat and high-fiber foods.
- Maintaining a normal body weight (a BMI of less than 25).
- Limiting alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day.
Frequently Asked Questions on Gynecologic Cancers
The services provided in the Gynecologic Oncology Program include the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and high risk conditions of the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, and ovaries, fallopian tubes and peritoneum, along with rare conditions such as uterine sarcoma and gestational trophoblastic disease. Our multidisciplinary treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, genetic counseling, nutrition, and radiation as well as symptom management and survivor services.
For more information about scheduling an appointment at Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, please call (602) 406-8222.
Understanding more about gynecologic cancers can help you better understand the treatment that may be selected for you or your loved one, based on the type of malignancy, genetic profile, patient lifestyle, and individual resources.
For more information about breast cancer or to schedule an appointment, please call (602) 406-8222.
Cervical cancer, in almost all cases, is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Vaccines that protect against infection with these types of HPV can greatly reduce the risk of cervical cancer. Having a Pap test to check for abnormal cells in the cervix or a test to check for HPV can find cells that may become abnormal and lead to cervical cancer. These cells can be treated before cancer forms.
Cervical cancer can usually be cured if it has been found and treated in the early stages. Our highly trained physicians have many minimally invasive procedures for the examination and removal of this malignancy.
For more information specifically about cervical cancer, visit this page put together by the National Cancer Institute (NCI): cancer.gov/types/cervical.
Uterine cancer typically starts in the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus). This is generally called endometrial cancer. Obesity, certain inherited conditions, and taking estrogen alone without progesterone can increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
Our surgeons use cutting-edge methods, the da Vinci robot, and complex/radical gynecologic pelvic surgeries to ensure the best possible outcome for patients. Our oncologists and nursing staff work in coordination with the patients, their physicians, and the surgical team to provide a comprehensive and comfortable environment for patients as well as their families.
For more information specifically about uterine cancer, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/uterine.
Ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancers are the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. These cancers are often found at advanced stages, partly because they may not cause early signs or symptoms and there are no good screening tests for them.
For more information specifically about ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancer, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/ovarian.
Vulvar cancer usually forms slowly over a number of years, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) causes about half of all vulvar cancers. Vaccines that protect against infection with these types of HPV may reduce the risk of vulvar cancer.
The vulva is the external part of the female genitals, including the clitoris, the vaginal lips, the opening to the vagina, and the surrounding skin and tissue. Abnormal cells can grow on the surface of the vulvar skin for a long time. This condition is called vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). Because it is possible for VIN to become vulvar cancer, it is important to get treatment.
For more information specifically about vulvar cancer, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/vulvar.
Vaginal cancer occurs in the birth canal that leads from the cervix (the opening of the uterus) to the outside of the body. The most common type of vaginal cancer, called squamous cell carcinoma, begins in the thin, flat cells that line the vagina. Another type of vaginal cancer, known as adenocarcinoma, begins in cells that make mucus.
Infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) causes most vaginal cancer. Vaccines that protect against infection with these types of HPV may reduce the risk of vaginal cancer.
Vaginal cancer often does not cause early signs or symptoms. It may be found during a routine pelvic exam.
For more information specifically about vaginal cancer, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/vaginal.
Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a term for rare tumors that form in the tissue that surrounds an egg after it is fertilized. This tissue is made of trophoblast cells, which connect the fertilized egg to the wall of the uterus and form part of the placenta. In GTD, a tumor forms instead of a healthy fetus.
The two main types of GTD are hydatidiform moles and gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Hydatidiform moles are also called molar pregnancies and are more common. Most hydatidiform moles are benign (not cancer), but they sometimes become cancer. Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia is almost always malignant (cancer).
For more information about GTD, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/gestational-trophoblastic.
Treatment you may receive
There are multiple ways to treat gynecologic malignancies. A few may include: surgery, radiation, and/or medications. Your gynecologic oncologist at the Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s will help you understand which treatment is most appropriate for you.
Questions to ask your oncologist
What is my diagnosis and prognosis?
What is your experience in treating the cancer I have?
How will you determine the best treatment for me?
How long does each treatment option typically last, both individually and as a series of treatments?
How will you know if the treatment is making progress?
For more information about various types of cancer, cancer staging and treatment options, click on this link from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN): NCCN Guidelines for Patients® - nccn.org/patients/default.aspx.
For more information about scheduling an appointment at the Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s, please call (602) 406-8222.
You can minimize your risk of developing gynecologic cancers or discovering it at a later stage through these steps:
HPV vaccine – Human papillomavirus (HPV) a very common sexually transmitted infection. Vaccines protect against the HPV types that most often cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. It is recommended for 11- and 12-year-old girls and boys.
Screening tests. These include the Pap test for cervical cancer and the HPV test. Talk to your health professional about how often you should have these tests. According to the Centers for Disease Control, HPV is thought to be responsible for more than 90 percent of anal and cervical cancers and more than 50 percent of vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers.
Identifying genetic mutations in your family such as BRCA 1/2 or Lynch Syndrome genes and undergoing appropriate screening and even risk reducing (prophylactic) surgery
Eat Well. A diet rich with antioxidants may decrease your chance for developing certain cancers.
Do not smoke or stop smoking.
Try to get 30 minutes of exercise 3-5 days per week.
Try to get between 7-8 hours of sleep.