Cochrane

Background This is an updated version of an original Cochrane review published in Issue 6, 2014. Pelvic lymphadenectomy (removal of lymph glands found in the pelvis) is an important component of the surgical management of gynaecological cancers to see if the cancer has spread. However, it can lead to complications, especially lymphocyst formation (collection ...

Background For the treatment of subfertility (delay in becoming pregnant), several medications are used to stimulate ovulation - the process of maturation and release of eggs from the ovaries. These drugs may also affect the endometrium, which is the layer of tissue lining of the womb (uterus). However, conditions that cause subfertility are known ...

The issue Cervical screening programmes reduce the risk of cervical cancer, through the use of cervical cytology (smear tests), which aim to detect and treat any precancerous changes which might put some women at risk of developing invasive disease (invasive cervical cancer) in the future. Usually only severe precancerous changes require treatment, ...

Background Pre-cancerous cervical lesions can be treated by either excision or destruction of the abnormal cells from the cervix, to reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer in the future. The advantage of excisional treatment is that the abnormal cells are removed, rather than destroyed, so tissue can be sent for detailed examination to confirm ...

Background Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women. Most women with early stage cervical cancer (stages I to IIA) are cured with surgery or, radiotherapy, or both. Radiotherapy uses high energy x-rays to damage tumour cells. Chemotherapy (anti-cancer) drugs use different ways to stop tumour cells dividing so they stop growing ...

Background Stage I ovarian cancer is diagnosed when the tumour is confined to one or both ovaries, without spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Approximately 25% of women with ovarian cancer will be diagnosed at an early stage, thus the diagnosis often occurs due to an accidental finding. The intention of surgical staging is to establish ...

What is the issue? Treatment for CIN is usually undertaken in an outpatient colposcopy clinic to remove the pre-cancerous cells from the cervix (lower part of the womb). It commonly involves lifting the cells off the cervix with electrically heated wire (diathermy) or laser, or destroying the abnormal cells with freezing methods (cryotherapy). This ...

Background Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) arises from the cells covering the surface of the ovary. The majority of women with this type of cancer present with advanced stage disease at diagnosis. The initial treatment involves surgery (removal of as much disease as possible) followed by chemotherapy. In some cases chemotherapy is given to shrink ...

What is the issue? Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is a rare but curable disease whereby a malignant tumour develops in the womb after a normal or molar pregnancy (where tissue develops in the womb instead of a baby). Women with GTN are classified as having low- or high-risk GTN using a specific scoring system. Virtually all women with low-risk ...

The issue When women go to their doctor with a mass that could be ovarian cancer, they are normally referred for surgery, since the mass may need to be removed and examined microscopically in a laboratory in a procedure known as paraffin section histopathology. A third of women with ovarian cancer present with a cyst or mass without any visible evidence ...