Slow but steady progress has been made in the management of the major types of gynecologic malignancy, with particularly significant advancements in the treatment of the biggest killer, ovarian cancer. Here we describe how that progress has shaped the current treatment landscape and is forging a path forward.
A therapeutic challenge
More than 90,000 new cases of gynecologic malignancy are diagnosed in the United States each year, and about a third of patients will ultimately succumb to their disease.1 Five major tumor types make up this large and varied group of cancers: cervical, ovarian, endometrial, vaginal, and vulvar, each with unique biology, etiology, and pathology.2
Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas and are caused by infection with human papillomaviruses (HPVs), a group of more than 200 related viruses. Development of effective screening methods and prophylactic vaccination have driven a substantial reduction in the incidence of cervical cancer in developed countries, though it remains a major cause of mortality in developing countries.
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