Gynecologic Oncology

Surgery performed by Dr Manan Boob, Consultant Gynaecologist & Laparoscopic Surgeon, with our surgical and anaesthesia team.

Hearing the word “cancer” changes everything in a single moment. Most women who come to us with a suspicious report are frightened, and many have been told very little. Our first job is simple: sit down, look at every report properly, and explain in plain words what is known, what is not yet known, and what the next step is.

Gynecologic oncology is the care of cancers that start in a woman’s reproductive organs. At Shubham Hi-Tech Hospital we offer surgery for the three that are most often treated with an operation — cancer of the womb lining (endometrium), the cervix and the ovary.

Cancers we treat

Endometrial (womb) cancer

Cancer of the lining of the womb most often shows up as bleeding after menopause. Caught early, it is one of the most treatable gynaecological cancers. For most early endometrial cancers, keyhole surgery is now the standard approach: the uterus, cervix, tubes and ovaries are removed laparoscopically, and lymph nodes are assessed where needed. Recovery is usually far quicker than after open surgery.

Cervical cancer — early stage

Early cervical cancer is often picked up on a Pap smear or HPV test, or after bleeding following intercourse. When it is found early, surgery can be the main treatment. Depending on the stage, this may be a radical hysterectomy — removing the uterus with the surrounding tissue and pelvic lymph nodes — or, for some small, low-risk cancers, a less extensive operation.

Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is often found late because its early symptoms — bloating, early fullness, vague pelvic discomfort — are easy to dismiss. Surgery here is usually open, because the surgeon needs to see and feel the whole abdomen: to confirm the diagnosis, find out how far the disease has spread (staging), and remove as much of it as safely possible.

Keyhole or open: how we decide

This is the question most patients ask first, and it deserves an honest answer. There is no single right approach for every woman.

For womb cancer, keyhole surgery is well established and is our usual choice. For ovarian cancer, open surgery is usually the right choice. For early cervical cancer, the evidence has been debated over the past several years, and the careful answer is that the route should be chosen for the individual patient. We weigh the size and stage of the tumour, what the scans show about the lymph nodes, your general health, and the approach in which the operating surgeon has the most experience. Sometimes that points to keyhole surgery; sometimes to open surgery. We will tell you which we recommend for you, and why.

“Can’t you just do keyhole surgery — it heals faster?” Faster healing matters, and for many women keyhole surgery is the right answer. But with cancer, the first priority is removing the disease completely and safely. We choose the route that gives you the best chance of that — and then do everything we can to make recovery comfortable.

Signs that should not be ignored

Please see a gynaecologist promptly if you notice any of these:

• Any bleeding after menopause, even a single spot
• Bleeding after intercourse, or between periods
• Bloating, early fullness or pelvic discomfort that lasts for weeks
• An unusual, persistent vaginal discharge

Most of the time these turn out to have a harmless cause. But they are exactly the symptoms that, checked early, make treatment simpler.

After surgery

The tissue removed at surgery is examined in detail. That final report tells us the exact type, grade and stage of the cancer, and it decides what, if anything, comes next. Some women need only regular follow-up. Others are advised chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which we plan with you and coordinate with medical and radiation oncology specialists. You will not be left to work this out on your own.

Related reading and procedures

For background on the operation itself, read our guide to hysterectomy types and the laparoscopic option, and our page on total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Keyhole surgery is covered in more depth on our advanced laparoscopy and hysteroscopy page, and you can see all the procedures we perform.

If you or someone in your family has a report that worries you, bring it in and let us go through it together. Call +91-8668954915 or book a consultation at Shubham Hi-Tech Hospital, Amravati.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor for guidance specific to your situation.