World Gynecologic Oncology Day/September 20th

GO Cancers

Statistics About Gynecologic Cancers

Each year, approximately 71,500 women in the United States are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer. While all women are at risk for developing gynecologic cancers, few will ever develop one. Still, it is important to know the signs because there is no way to know for sure who will get a gynecologic cancer.

There are five main types of gynecologic cancers

Cervical Cancer

In 2019, an estimated 13,170 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer. Incidence rates for the disease dropped by more than 50% between 1975 and 2015 due to an increase in screening, which can find cervical changes before they turn cancerous.

It is estimated that 4,250 deaths from the disease will occur this year. The death rate dropped by around 50% between 1975 and 2016, partly because the increase in screening resulted in earlier detection of cervical cancer.

In 2012, over 58,000 women in Europe were diagnosed with cervical cancer and around 24,000 women died of the disease. While it is the fifth most common cancer among European women of all ages, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women aged 15-39 years. Rates are highest among women in the countries of Eastern Europe, who have over three times the risk of dying of cervical cancer of Western European women.

Ovarian Cancer

In 2019, an estimated 22,530 women in the United States will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and the vast majority of these are high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSC), which begin in a fallopian tube. Ovarian cancer accounts for 2.5% of cancers in women and 5% of deaths from cancer. It causes the most deaths from all gynecological cancers. That is because 59% of women are diagnosed when the disease is at an advanced, less curable stage.

Older women and white women have the highest risk of the disease. About half of women diagnosed with ovarian and fallopian tube cancer are 63 or older.

It is estimated that 13,980 deaths from these diseases will occur this year. Combined, cancer of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and peritoneum are the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death in women in the United States. However, the death rate declined by 2% each year from 2007 to 2016.

Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer among women in Europe, with over 65,000 cases in 2012. Europe in general has one of the highest incidences of ovarian cancer in the world, but rates are highest in Eastern and Northern Europe and lowest in Southern Europe.

Uterine Cancer

In 2019, an estimated 61,880 women in the United States will be diagnosed with uterine cancer. Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer for women in the United States.

The number of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer is increasing, mostly because of an increase in obesity , which is an important risk factor for this disease.

Europe has some of the highest rates of uterine cancer in the world; more than one in 20 female cancers affect the endometrium, and the number of cases is increasing. This is partly because of the ageing of the European population, but rising rates of obesity are known to be an important contributory factor.

The outlook is relatively good for women diagnosed with uterine cancer in Europe. On average, nearly 80% are alive five years after their diagnosis.

Vulvar Cancer

In 2019, an estimated 6,070 women in the United States will be diagnosed with vulvar cancer. Vulvar cancer makes up about 6% of cancers diagnosed in a woman’s reproductive organs and less than 1% of all cancers in women. Recent research has shown that about 69% of vulvar cancers diagnosed from 2008 through 2012 were due to human papillomavirus (HPV).

Globally, about 27,000 women are diagnosed each year with vulvar cancer. Within Europe, women in eastern and northern countries are at highest risk, while risk is lowest in western and southern countries.

Vaginal Cancer

Vaginal cancer is uncommon. Approximately 1 of every 1,100 women will be diagnosed with the disease during her lifetime. In 2019, an estimated 5,350 women in the United States will be diagnosed with vaginal cancer. Recent research has shown that about 75% of vaginal cancers diagnosed from 2008 through 2012 were due to human papillomavirus or HPV. A woman’s risk for vaginal cancer increases with age. Similar to cervical cancer, vaginal cancer is more common among groups of women who are less likely to have access to screening for cervical cancer.

Each year, about 13,200 women in the world are diagnosed with primary vaginal cancer. Within Europe, the incidence is highest in Eastern Europe and lowest in Southern Europe. These differences are probably due to varying levels of long-lasting HPV infection as well as lack of cervical screening programmes, since these can identify early signs of vaginal cancer.