05 Mar, 2025
05 Mar, 2025
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This article is medically reviewed by Dr. Shivpal Saini, Consultant - Surgical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Jaipur.
We are living in a time and age where cancer is becoming a more and more common disease, both among men and women. While some cancers are more prevalent among men, others are more common among women.
In this article, we are particularly discussing the commonly found cancers among women, their symptoms, and appropriate treatment measures for them.
One in five women develops cancer during their lifetime. Further, cancer-related death occurs in one in 12 women. Globally, the top three common types of cancers in women are breast, lung, and colorectal cancers. More than 1.7 million women face a breast cancer diagnosis every year, making it the most common type of cancer in women. The other most common cancers in females are cervical cancer, thyroid cancer, uterine cancer, stomach cancer, and ovarian cancer.
Some of the most common types of cancer in females are:
Breast cancer develops in the breast tissues. It is the most common type of cancer in females.
The different breast cancer types include invasive ductal carcinoma (develops in milk ducts), lobular breast cancer (develops in the milk-producing glands), ductal carcinoma in situ (limited to the milk ducts), triple-negative breast cancer (invasive and aggressive), inflammatory breast cancer (aggressive with a rash on breasts), and Paget's disease of the breast (affects nipples).
Some breast cancer types are more common than others.
Symptoms of breast cancer are a lump in the breast, altered breast skin, change in shape and size of one or both breasts, abnormal discharge from the nipples, change in the nipple structure, and persistent pain in the breast or armpit.
Several options are available for breast cancer treatment. Surgery is the main treatment for breast cancer. Types of surgeries include breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy (breast removal), and lymph node resection. Surgery may also include breast reconstruction.
Radiotherapy is done either after the surgery or in recurrent breast cancer. Chemotherapy may be administered before or after the surgery to improve outcomes in metastatic breast cancer or cancer recurrence.
Hormone therapy reduces certain hormones or blocks the availability of hormones to the cancer cells. This therapy is usually administered to patients with advanced breast cancer or those not eligible for surgical interventions. The other treatments include targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
Ovarian cancer is a cancer that starts in the ovaries, a female reproductive organ. It is one of the most common cancers in females.
Ovarian cancer types are epithelial ovarian carcinomas (which account for 85-90% of cases and involve the ovarian surface), germ cell ovarian tumors (which start in the egg-developing cells and can be malignant or benign), and sex cord-stromal tumors (which develop in ovary-supporting tissues). Sex cord-stromal tumors are generally diagnosed at early stages.
Some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer are abdominal swelling or bloating, pelvic pain or pressure, loss of appetite, increased urinary frequency, post-menopausal vaginal bleeding, back pain, persistent fatigue, and unexplained weight loss.
Ovarian cancer is generally treatable if diagnosed at early stages. Surgery is a standard treatment option for ovarian cancer that includes removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, and uterus, depending on the cancer spread. In some cases, the surgeon may also remove a part of the bowel if the cancer has spread to the bowel.
Chemotherapy may be administered before or after the surgery or in patients with cancer recurrence. Radiation therapy in ovarian cancer is delivered for treating advanced cancer or managing cancer symptoms during palliative care. The other treatments include targeted therapies and hormone therapy.
Cervical cancer is the cancer that initiates in the cervix, a tube that connects the vagina to the uterus.
Cervical cancer types include squamous cell carcinoma (which develops in the cells of the outer surface), adenocarcinoma (which develops in mucus-producing glands), and adenosquamous carcinoma (which involves both glandular and squamous cancer cells).
Some of the common symptoms of cervical cancer are post-menopausal vaginal bleeding, pain during sex, vaginal bleeding between the menstrual periods or after sex, watery or bloody vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, abdominal pain, persistent fatigue, changes in bowel movements, bloody urine, and painful urination.
Surgeries for cervical cancer include cold knife conization, hysterectomy (total, radical, or modified radical), sentinel lymph node biopsy, and total pelvic exenteration. The other therapies include radiation therapy (external and internal), chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
Skin cancer occurs when the skin cells undergo mutations and begin to divide abnormally to form lesions and tumors.
Skin cancer types include basal cell carcinoma (the most common type; it commonly develops in people with fair skin), squamous cell carcinoma (caused by frequent solar exposure; it causes disfigurement and damage), and melanoma (the deadliest; it frequently occurs in moles or as a new dark spot).
The common skin cancer symptoms in females are sores that do not heal within 4 weeks, lumps, red patches on the skin, ulcers, and moles or freckles on the skin. The sore may cause pain or bleeding. It may also have scabs or crusts for more than 4 weeks.
Treatment options for skin cancer are surgery (which involves removing the cancerous tissues along with surrounding healthy tissues), radiation therapy (which kills cancer cells with high-energy radiation), immunotherapy (which enhances the immune system), targeted therapy (which targets vital processes in cancer cells), localized therapy (laser, light therapy, freezing), and chemotherapy.
Uterine cancer is a type of gynecological cancer that occurs when the cells that line the uterus undergo uncontrolled division and form a tumor.
The different types of uterine cancer are endometrial cancer (cancer of the endometrium, cells lining the uterus) and uterine sarcoma (cancer of the muscular layer of the uterus). Leiomyosarcoma is the most common type of uterine sarcoma.
Common signs of uterine cancer are unusual vaginal bleeding, heavier bleeding, changes in the periods, vaginal bleeding in between the menstrual cycle, and continuous bleeding. The other symptoms include unexplained weight loss, watery discharge, and abdominal pain.
Surgery is a standard treatment for uterine cancer, especially when diagnosed at an early stage. Surgery includes hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The other treatment options include radiation therapy (external or internal; may be primary treatment in patients not eligible for surgery), hormone therapy (usually in case of cancer recurrence), chemotherapy (with surgery or radiation therapy), immunotherapy (usually in patients not responding to chemotherapy), and targeted therapy (usually in recurrent cancer).
Lung cancer occurs when the cells present in the lungs undergo mutations and begin to divide abnormally to form a mass.
The types of lung cancer include non-small cell lung cancer (subtypes are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and sarcomatoid carcinoma) and small cell lung cancer (grows and spreads more rapidly than small cell lung cancer).
Symptoms of lung cancer include chest pain, progressively worsening cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, persistent fatigue, and unexplained weight loss.
Patients may also experience recurrent respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia or enlarged lymph nodes of the chest.
Surgery is the main treatment for lung cancer. Types of surgeries are lobectomy (removal of lung lobes), pneumonectomy (removal of a complete lung), or wedge resection (removal of a part of the lung).
The other treatment options are radiation therapy (radical radiotherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy, or prophylactic cranial irradiation), chemotherapy (along with surgery or radiation therapy to improve outcomes), immunotherapy (to boost the immune system to fight against cancer cells), and targeted therapy (targeting vital processes in cancer cells).
Other treatment options include radiofrequency ablation, cryotherapy, and photodynamic therapy.
Endometrial cancer develops in the uterine lining (endometrium) and is a type of uterine cancer.
The types of endometrial cancers are endometrioid adenocarcinoma (most common; develops in the glandular tissue present in the uterine lining; subtypes are secretory adenocarcinoma, villoglandular or ciliated carcinoma), serous carcinoma (non-endometrioid cancer; develops in the uterine lining), and clear carcinoma (looks clear under the microscope).
The other types include mixed carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, and carcinosarcoma.
Some of the symptoms of endometrial cancer are abnormal vaginal bleeding, bleeding after menopause, bleeding in between periods, and altered periods.
The other symptoms include unusual vaginal spotting, the presence of a lump in the pelvis, pelvic pain, or unexplained weight loss.
Surgery is the main treatment for endometrial cancer, especially if diagnosed at an early stage. The types of surgeries include total hysterectomy, bilateral hysterectomy, radical hysterectomy, and lymph node dissection.
Other treatment options include radiation therapy (external and internal), chemotherapy (systemic and regional), hormone therapy, and targeted therapy.
A good number of risk factors associated with cancer are lifestyle-based or modifiable. Cancer prevention strategies primarily involve lifestyle modifications, which reduce the risk of different types of cancer. The following are the cancer prevention strategies that can bring down the risk of different types of cancer:
HCG Cancer Centre is an advanced cancer hospital in India for the diagnosis and treatment of various cancers. Women presenting with female cancer symptoms are given a comprehensive check-up to accurately determine the underlying cause. It is equipped with advanced techniques for effective screening and diagnosis of various gynecological cancers, such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The personalized treatment at HCG is planned by experienced medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists according to the type and stage of cancer.
The most common cancers in women include breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and uterine cancer. Individuals should not ignore any symptoms of cancer in women. Women with symptoms such as any unusual vaginal discharge or a sudden change in their periods should consult a doctor. A healthy lifestyle is essential to significantly reduce the risk of various female cancer types.
Dr. Shivpal Saini
Consultant - Surgical Oncology
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Oncology)
Dr. Shivpal Saini is a well-trained surgical oncologist who can be consulted at HCG Cancer Centre, a leading cancer hospital in Jaipur. Having completed his education at prestigious institutions like AIIMS (Delhi) and Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai), Dr. Saini’s expertise lies in managing a wide range of cancers through open and minimally invasive surgical approaches. His key areas of specialization include GI oncology, breast oncology, head and neck oncology, and thoracic oncology. With 4 years of experience in performing simple to complex cancer surgeries, Dr. Saini is committed to delivering the highest quality cancer care to his patients.
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