Cervical & Ovarian Cancer

Understanding Cervical & Ovarian Cancer

The cervix lies in the lower part of the uterus and contains a narrow canal that connects the uterus with the vagina. The ovaries, located in the lower abdomen, produce hormones triggering menstruation.

They release one egg each month for potential fertilization. When you have cervical or ovarian cancer, the Indiana University Health Melvin & Bren Simon Cancer Center gives you access to the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options available.

How is Cervical & Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed?

Diagnostic exams you may undergo at IU Health include:

• Clinical examination to check for lumps or other changes.
• Blood testing to measure the amounts of certain substances that may indicate the presence of cancer.
• Colposcopy to examine the vagina and cervix using a lighted magnifying instrument.
• Laparoscopy to inspect the inside of the abdomen and remove tissue samples with the assistance of a thin, lighted camera.
• Cervical Biopsy and special pathologic studies to remove cells or tissues for examination under a microscope.
• Various imaging procedures to take internal pictures of the body to look for cancer.

The team of experts at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center has immediate access to a full range of diagnostic technology. This team of specialists works together daily and can confer, diagnose and develop a treatment plan, sometimes in a single visit.

What are Treatment Options for Cervical & Ovarian Cancer?

Specialization at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center enables physicians to accurately diagnose and effectively treat gynecologic symptoms. At IU Health, your team will include:

• Gynecologic oncologists
• Radiation oncologists
• Medical oncologists
• Pathologists

The IU Health Simon Cancer Center offers the latest innovations used in the treatment of gynecological cancers. These treatment options include:

• Surgery removes the cancer and, when necessary, surrounding healthy tissue and lymph nodes.
• Leading-edge chemotherapy destroys cancer cells with drugs.
• Leading-edge radiotherapy destroys cancer cells and shrink tumors.
• Chemoradiotherapy combines chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
• Hormonal therapy slows or stops tumor growth.

Physicians at IU Health Simon Cancer Center pride themselves on providing continuity of care. Often, the same physician will perform surgery and direct chemotherapy.

The doctors you see at the beginning follow you through treatment, so you have fully-coordinated care from diagnosis through long-term follow up. Team members also meet weekly to discuss your care, and can alter or continue treatment based on the most recent information and imaging.

The CompleteLife Program have staff who compassionately support and educate you by tending to your emotional, social and spiritual needs.

Cervical & Ovarian Cancer Research at IU Health

Many of IU Health’s physicians engage in clinical research to improve diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancers. Areas of diagnostic research include:

• Finding better biopsy techniques
• Searching for techniques to diagnose ovarian cancer at an earlier stage

Treatment research at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center includes:

• Work with a national oncology group to develop new drugs for chemotherapy
• Large, national trials of new chemotherapy agents supplied by manufacturers
• Laboratory research that leads quickly to clinical trials
• Bringing new drugs from international trials to patients in Indiana
• Developing and applying the newest forms of radiologic treatment
• Quality of life

Physicians provide many diagnostic advances and clinical research trials available only at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center, where they test them for general clinical use. Some originate here, so you can access them many years before others nationally and globally.