Gynecologic Cancer Awareness

All women are at risk for gynecologic cancers, and risk increases with age. You can lower your risk for some of these cancers.

Gynecologic cancers are cancers that start in a woman’s reproductive organs. The five main types are cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar cancer.Every year, more than 80,000 women in the United States are told they have a gynecologic cancer, and more than 25,000 women die from a gynecologic cancer.

Inside Knowledge: Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer Campaign

CDC’s Inside Knowledge: Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer campaignraises awareness about the five main types of gynecologic cancer: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar. Inside Knowledge provides print materials, public service announcements (PSAs), and survivor stories in English and Spanish.

Prevention and Screening

If you have vaginal bleeding that is unusual for you, see a doctor right away. If you notice any other unexplained signs or symptoms that last for two weeks or longer, talk to your doctor. When gynecologic cancers are found and treated early, treatment works best.

Some gynecologic cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common sexually transmitted infection. A vaccine protects against the HPV types that most often cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. While it is recommended for 11- and 12-year-old girls, the vaccine can be given to girls beginning at age 9 and to girls and women who are 13 to 26 years old who did not get any or all of the shots when they were younger. (The HPV vaccine also is recommended for boys and young men.)

Cervical cancer is the only gynecologic cancer that has a recommended screening test. The Pap test screens for cervical cancer and can find it early, when treatment works best. The Pap test also helps prevent cervical cancer by finding precancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately. Women should start getting the Pap test at age 21. The Pap test only checks for cervical cancer. It does not check for ovarian, uterine, vaginal, or vulvar cancers.

The HPV test looks for HPV infection. It may be used to screen women aged 30 years and older, or for women of any age who have unclear Pap test results. Learn more about the Pap and HPV tests.