Open Access Research Article

Gynecological Cancer and Family Planning. A Prospective Study of a Group of Eighty-Eight Greek Women and Review of Literatures

Giannakopoulou E1 and Sofoudis C2*

1Department of Midwifery, Aegean College, Greece

2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Konstandopoulio General Hospital, Greece

Corresponding Author

Received Date: September 13, 2019  Published Date: September 19, 2019

Abstract

One of the major problems faced by modern women represents the gynecological cancer, comprising uterine, cervical, endometrial, ovarian and breast cancer.

Therefore, gynecological cancer can be also described as cancer of the female reproductive system. Nowadays, cancer consists the primary cause of death worldwide, displacing all coronary diseases and strokes.

Gynecological cancer constitutes around 20% of these cases, whereas mortality rates reach up to 13%. When cancer is diagnosed in women of reproductive age, consult by specialists should be undertaken in order to inform the couple about the alternations in their lives, the options they have and discuss all possible scenarios.

In most cases, gynecological cancer does not only affect the health of the patient as an individual, but also her sexual life, her ability to procreate and her partner’s life, in consequence. Although the treatment of cancer is of primary importance, the attending doctor should also examine the impact of the disease on fertility at the time of diagnosis and the damage caused by possible surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

In addition, consult of family planning should be offered to all couples, in order to inform them about contraceptive methods suitable for their individual cases as well as hereditary characteristics they might be interested in.

Several studies prove that the use of contraceptive pills increase the incidence of breast and cervical cancer, whereas others support that the incidence depends on the period of use and the chronological gap between contraception and cancer appearance.

Another variable that should be kept in mind is the type of hormonal contraception is used. Progestin-only oral contraceptives’ action is supported by the suppression of ovulation, an inhibiting effect on the midcycle peaks of LH and FSH, an increase in cervical mucus viscosity, a reduction in the number and size of endometrial glands and a reduction in cilia motility in the fallopian tube.

On the other hand, combination oral contraceptives’ dominant mechanism of action is to prevent ovulation, with the combination of the 2 steroids, estrogens and progesterone, which greatly increases their antigonadotrophic and ovulation-inhibitory effects.

The significance of this study lies in the knowledge around complications arising by certain contraceptive methods, as far as around the way cancer patients are informed about family planning and the evaluation for the need of alternations in the existing system.

Keywords:Gynecologic cancer; Family planning; Contraceptive methods

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