The Importance of Gynecologic Cancer Screening

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally. According to theAmerican Cancer Society, Cervical cancer is most frequently diagnosed in women between the ages of 35 and 44, with the average age being 50. It rarely develops in women younger than 20. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women according to the US Library of National Medicine.

Cervical Cancer - One of the most efficient ways to screen for Cervical Cancer and catch the disease early, if present, is to have a Pap Smear exam done annually.This will detect the presence of any cervical cancer cells early and prevent the need for aggressive treatment.This routine, painless examination performed by Dr Goldstein or any gynecologist, right in the office, checks the changes in the cells of the cervix and is the best test for identifying abnormal, cancerous and pre-cancerous cells.

AbnormalcervicalcellsarerelatedtotheHPVvirus ofwhichthereareover100strains. Virtually all sexually active women will be exposed to HPV but most clear the virus on their own. High-risk HPVs can cause several types of cancer. There are 12 highrisk HPV types: HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, and 59. Two of these, HPV 16 and HPV 18, are responsible for most HPV-related cancers.

If HPV is detected, then continued monitoring is advised to ensure that any high risk type of HPV present does not lead to cervical cancer.

Ovarian Cancer - Since the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be vague and misleading and lead to a late diagnosis, Dr Steven R. Goldstein, a top Gynecologist in NYC, continues to press for ovarian cancer screening based on studies from Europe and the Universityof Kentucky which found thatannual screeningsidentified 82 percentof the cancers in stage 1, making them more treatable. Doctor Goldstein recommends ovarian cancer screening every six months based on the patient’s medical history and risk factors. Women who have a “high risk” family history of ovarian cancer are at high risk of ovarian cancer and will benefit from ovarian cancer screening.

For women who need to be screened for ovarian cancer, Dr Goldstein, top NYC Gyn, uses painless, non-invasive sonographic technology to examine the ovaries thoroughly and determine whether there are any cysts or ovarian masses. Any ovarian tumor is either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) from the start. The chances of a benign ovarian mass becoming malignant are virtually zero.

If there is an ovarian mass, these technologies also help Dr Goldstein to determine whether there is the lack of any solid area coming off the cyst wall and whether there is any lack of vascularity, measured by color flow Doppler ultrasound. Tumors need blood to grow, to divide, to invade, so the lack of any vascularity is an extremely reassuring sign.

When people have what appear to be benign growths of ovaries, rather than remove them, we continue to watch them and be sure that they maintain those sonographic features that are reassuring of their benign nature.

So whether it is cervical cancer or ovarian cancer, early detection is very important, thus gynecologic cancer screen is important. Women with a family history of ovarian cancer should be screened regularly. Cervical cancer rates have been greatly reduced since the pap smear, thus it is important that every woman have a pap smear done at least annually.

Doctor Steven R. Goldstein MD is a top Gynecologist in NYC with over 25 years of experience in private practice. He is recognized as one the nation’s top gynaecologists and an internationally renowned expert in the field of Gynecologic ultrasounds. He is a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NewYork University School of Medicine, and a former Director for Gynecologic Ultrasound, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York University Medical Center.

Womenshould continueto haveapapsmear done atleastannually, and every6months if HPVor any high risk types of the virus are present. If you are a woman with a family history of ovarian cancer or have any of the risk factors for ovarian cancer, then regular ovarian cancer screening is a must.