Gynecologic Cancer

Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute delivers expertise in specialized cancer diagnosis, treatment and support through a partnership with Woman’s Hospital and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. This collaboration increases access to care for women battling breast and GYN cancers, delivering the most advanced, coordinated care available in the Greater Baton Rouge region.

At the Breast and GYN Cancer Pavilion, you’ll find a team of experts who work together to provide accurate diagnosis and effective treatments in one convenient location.

Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute's exceptional specialists are ready to offer the highest quality breast and gynecological cancer care through the Breast & GYN Cancer Pavilion.

St. Dominic’s Gynecologic Oncology specializes in medical and surgical treatments of women with abnormal pap smears, as well as cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers. Surgical procedures offered include laser ablation of dysplasia, radical/laparoscopic hysterectomies, and staging procedures for advanced endometrial/ovarian cancers. Chemotherapy is offered for patients requiring additional treatment. We specialize in the use of the da Vinci Surgical System, which reduces hospital and recovery time for patients.

Our Lady of Lourdes Health offers women’s health services to diagnose and treat gynecologic cancer such as pelvic and cervical cancer. At Our Lady of Lourdes JD Moncus Cancer Center, you’ll find a team of experts who work together to provide accurate diagnosis and effective treatments in one convenient location.

Gynecological, or GYN, cancers occur throughout a woman’s reproductive system. GYN cancer types include cancers of the cervix, Fallopian tubes, ovaries, peritoneum, uterus, vagina and vulva.

When you think about risk factors, it helps to focus on those you can change or avoid (like smoking or human papillomavirus infection), rather than those you cannot (such as your age and family history). However, it is still important to consider risk factors that cannot be changed, because regular screening tests can help find gynecological cancers early.

Common symptoms of gynecologic cancers include:

• Abnormal bleeding or vaginal discharge
• Abdominal or back pain
• Bloating
• Changes in bathroom habits
• Changes in vulva or skin color (rash, sores, warts)
• Itching and/or burning vulva
• Pelvic pain or pressure

Common types of treatments for gynecological cancers include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy and immunotherapy.

Depending on the type and stage of your cancer, you may need more than one type of treatment. For the earliest stages of cancer, either surgery or radiation combined with chemo may be used. For later stages, radiation combined with chemo is usually the main treatment. Chemo (by itself) is often used to treat advanced cancer.

The two most important things you can do to prevent cervical cancer are to get the HPV vaccine if you are eligible and to be screened regularly according to American Cancer Society guidelines. This preventive health screening is done as part of a “well woman” visit, which includes a Papanicolaou (Pap) test and pelvic exam.

Regular cervical cancer testing (screening) should begin at age 25.

Those 25 to 65 years old should have a primary HPV test, which is done by itself for screening, every 5 years. If primary HPV testing is not available, screening may be done with either a co-test that combines an HPV test with a Pap test every 5 years or a Pap test alone every 3 years.