Condition Lookup

Ovarian Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Symptoms:
abdominal bloating or swelling; pelvic or abdominal pain; difficulty eating or feeling full quickly; frequent urination; fatigue; unexplained weight loss; menstrual irregularities

Root Cause:
Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the ovaries, often originating from the epithelial lining of the ovary.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical exam, pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS), CT or MRI imaging, CA-125 blood test, and biopsy.

Treatment:
Treatment typically includes surgery (e.g., oophorectomy or debulking surgery), chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Medications:
Platinum-based chemotherapy agents (e.g., carboplatin , cisplatin ), taxanes (e.g., paclitaxel , docetaxel ), PARP inhibitors (e.g., olaparib , niraparib , rucaparib ), and anti-angiogenesis drugs (e.g., bevacizumab ).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 1 in 78 women; lifetime risk is about 1.3%.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutations, Lynch syndrome, early menstruation or late menopause, nulliparity, and endometriosis.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prognosis depends on the stage at diagnosis; 5-year survival rate is approximately 49%, with higher survival rates for early-stage disease.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Intestinal obstruction, ascites, metastasis to distant organs, recurrence, and complications related to treatment such as neuropathy or anemia.

Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Gynecologic Cancers

Symptoms:
persistent pelvic or abdominal pain; bloating; early satiety; abnormal bleeding; fatigue; weight loss

Root Cause:
Abnormal proliferation of epithelial cells on the surface of the ovary or fallopian tube, often associated with genetic mutations such as BRCA1/BRCA2.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Transvaginal ultrasound, CA-125 blood test, imaging (CT/MRI), and surgical biopsy.

Treatment:
Surgery to remove tumors and affected tissues, followed by chemotherapy and/or targeted therapy.

Medications:
Carboplatin and paclitaxel are standard first-line treatments; PARP inhibitors (e.g., olaparib ) are used in cases of BRCA mutations.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Most common type of ovarian cancer, accounting for 85–90% of cases.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
BRCA mutations, older age, family history, endometriosis, and hormone replacement therapy.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Highly dependent on stage at diagnosis; 5-year survival rate is 90% for localized disease but drops significantly for advanced stages.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Spread to abdominal organs, bowel obstruction, and recurrence.

Cervical Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Gynecologic Cancers

Symptoms:
abnormal vaginal bleeding; pain during intercourse; pelvic pain; foul-smelling vaginal discharge

Root Cause:
Uncontrolled cell growth in the cervix, often caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV types (e.g., HPV 16 and 18).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Pap smear, HPV DNA test, colposcopy, and biopsy.

Treatment:
Surgery (e.g., hysterectomy), radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.

Medications:
Cisplatin or carboplatin , often combined with radiation therapy; pembrolizumab for advanced or recurrent cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Fourth most common cancer in women worldwide; higher incidence in low-resource settings.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
HPV infection, multiple sexual partners, smoking, immunosuppression, and lack of regular Pap screening.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good for early-stage disease, with a 5-year survival rate of over 90%; drops significantly for advanced stages.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Spread to nearby organs, lymph node involvement, recurrence, and treatment-related infertility.

Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Gynecologic Cancers

Symptoms:
abnormal uterine bleeding; pelvic pain; pain during intercourse; unexplained weight loss

Root Cause:
Uncontrolled growth of cells in the lining of the uterus (endometrium), often related to hormonal imbalances such as excess estrogen.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Endometrial biopsy, transvaginal ultrasound, hysteroscopy, and imaging (CT/MRI).

Treatment:
Surgery (hysterectomy and removal of ovaries), radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and/or chemotherapy.

Medications:
Progestins (e.g., medroxyprogesterone , megestrol acetate), chemotherapy agents (e.g., carboplatin , paclitaxel ), and immunotherapy (e.g., pembrolizumab for advanced cases).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Most common gynecologic cancer in developed countries, with an estimated lifetime risk of 3%.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), unopposed estrogen therapy, tamoxifen use, and Lynch syndrome.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good for early-stage disease, with a 5-year survival rate of 90%; worsens with advanced disease.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Spread to other pelvic organs, recurrence, and treatment-related side effects such as lymphedema or menopause symptoms.

Vaginal Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Gynecologic Cancers

Symptoms:
abnormal vaginal bleeding; vaginal discharge; pelvic pain; pain during intercourse; lump in the vagina

Root Cause:
Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the vaginal lining, often associated with high-risk HPV infection.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Pelvic exam, Pap smear, colposcopy, biopsy, and imaging (CT/MRI).

Treatment:
Surgery (e.g., vaginectomy), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these.

Medications:
Cisplatin is often used in combination with radiation therapy.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, accounting for about 1–2% of gynecologic cancers.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
HPV infection, history of cervical cancer, smoking, and DES (diethylstilbestrol) exposure in utero.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Depends on stage; 5-year survival rate is approximately 50–70% for localized disease.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Recurrence, metastasis, and treatment-related side effects such as scarring or infertility.

Vulvar Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Gynecologic Cancers

Symptoms:
itching or burning of the vulva; lump or sore on the vulva; pain during urination; bleeding not related to menstruation

Root Cause:
Malignant growth in the external female genitalia, often related to HPV infection or chronic vulvar inflammatory conditions.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical exam, biopsy, and imaging (CT/MRI or PET scan).

Treatment:
Surgery (e.g., vulvectomy), radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.

Medications:
Cisplatin and fluorouracil (5-FU) are commonly used in advanced or recurrent cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, accounting for about 4% of gynecologic cancers.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
HPV infection, older age, lichen sclerosus, smoking, and weakened immune system.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good for early-stage disease, with a 5-year survival rate of 70–80%; worse for advanced disease.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Recurrence, metastasis, and disfigurement from surgery.

Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (e.g., Choriocarcinoma)

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Gynecologic Cancers

Symptoms:
vaginal bleeding; elevated hcg levels; pelvic pain; persistent nausea and vomiting; shortness of breath (in metastatic cases)

Root Cause:
Abnormal proliferation of trophoblastic cells, which are involved in pregnancy, often resulting in molar pregnancy or invasive choriocarcinoma.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Elevated hCG levels, ultrasound, chest X-ray (for metastasis), and biopsy.

Treatment:
Chemotherapy for most cases; surgery (e.g., hysterectomy) may be required in resistant cases.

Medications:
Methotrexate , actinomycin D, or EMA-CO (etoposide , methotrexate , actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide , and vincristine ) for high-risk cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, occurring in 1 in 1,000 pregnancies for molar pregnancies and fewer for choriocarcinoma.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Advanced maternal age, prior molar pregnancy, and Asian ethnicity.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent for low-risk disease, with nearly 100% cure rate; high-risk cases also have good outcomes with appropriate treatment.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Metastasis to the lungs, brain, or liver; infertility in rare cases; chemotherapy-related side effects.