Women's Cancer Program

The Women's Cancer Program (opens in new window) at Mayo Clinic conducts cutting-edge, innovative research to improve treatment management options for women with breast and gynecologic cancers. This multidisciplinary program brings together researchers and clinicians to further the current understanding of women's cancers, provide compassionate care, and educate patients and their families about women's cancers. Researchers in gynecologic surgery, medical and radiation oncology, medical genetics, pathology and other specialties work together to give women with cancer the widest possible range of treatment options. As part of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (opens in new window), the Women's Cancer Program is poised to offer innovative new therapies available through clinical trials (opens in new window). The Women's Cancer Program also provides psychosocial support classes, a resource center, and educational programs for patients and their families.

Treatment Options

Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), a precancerous condition of vulvar tissue, is treated by local surgical removal (excision) or laser treatment. Until recently, the standard treatment for invasive vulvar cancers was complete removal of the vulva and nearby groin lymph nodes. However, experience has shown that cancers confined to small areas can often be safely treated with localized surgery.
Surgical treatment for vulvar cancer consists generally of two parts: the removal of diseased tissue and the removal of lymph nodes. Often with vulvar cancer, several areas are affected, and large amounts of tissue may be removed. When the cancer has invaded to a depth greater than 1 mm, the cancer may have spread to the lymph nodes in the groin. These nodes are removed surgically and biopsied to determine how much the cancer has spread.
External radiation is occasionally used as a supplement to surgery when metastatic disease is found. Radiation is often an option for patients whose lymph nodes have been invaded by cancer or who have primary tumors that cannot be entirely removed without jeopardizing the patient's safety. When a patient's condition requires a colostomy or urinary diversion, external radiation can sometimes be substituted for surgical removal. In this situation, radiation is often combined with chemotherapy.
Physicians at Mayo Clinic consider each patient's age, as well as psychological and sexual issues, when recommending a treatment plan. Reconstructive surgery to minimize the effects of extensive surgery may be possible.
Reconstructive Surgery
At Mayo Clinic, a gynecologic oncologist and a plastic surgeon work together to restore as much anatomy and function as possible. This teamwork is especially important for vulvar cancer cases in which surgical reconstruction is necessary to the treatment plan. Mayo Clinic provides a full range of gynecologic reconstructive surgery procedures, including:
Reconstruction of the vulva
Rebuilding of the vagina after radical cancer treatment
Use of skin grafts after radiation therapy or radical surgery for recurrent cancer in the vulva and groin
Rebuilding of vital organs, such as a urinary bladder, vagina or pelvic floor, that were removed to treat advanced cancer or were badly damaged after radiation therapy. In the case of bladder reconstruction, for example, it is often possible to create a pouch that holds the urine internally, eliminating the need for an external collection bag.
Reconstruction of the pelvic floor to correct pelvic prolapse and urinary or rectal incontinence
Physicians at Mayo spend whatever time is necessary to discuss patients' concerns and expectations and to review the treatment and reconstruction plan. Reconstructive surgery techniques at Mayo Clinic can produce cosmetically pleasing and functional results that improve a woman's quality of life.

Diagnosis

Cancer of the vulva can be detected early through regular pelvic checkups. The earlier a cancer is found, the better the chance for conservative therapy and a cure. Typically a gynecologist will diagnose and treat problems of the vulva. The physician will examine the vulvar tissue with a magnifying device (colposcope) and take a biopsy of any suspicious-looking tissue. If cancer is found, referral to a gynecologic oncologist is important. At Mayo Clinic, experienced gynecologic oncologists consider each patient's personal and medical needs before recommending a treatment plan.
Other noncanerous gynecologic conditions can exhibit similar symptoms to vulvar cancer. Evaluation by a phyisician is critical when the following symptoms appear:
Constant itching of the vulva
Changes in color of the vulva or in the way the vulva looks
White, rough-feeling areas of the vulva
Bleeding or discharge not related to periods
Severe burning, itching or pain in the vulva
Any thickening ulcer or lump not previously present
Once cancer of the vulva has been diagnosed, more tests will be done to determine whether it has spread to other parts of the body. This process is called staging, and it helps doctors determine the best treatment modalities. The stages of vulvar cancer include:
Stage 0 -- Precancerous cells, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), are present; VIN often forms slowly.
Stage I -- The cancer is 2 cm (about 1 inch) or less and found only in the vulva or perineum (the tissue between the vagina and the anus). The stage is further classified as Stage IA or IB depending on how deeply the cancer has invaded underlying connective tissue.
Stage II -- The cancer is greater than 2 cm but is still found only in the vulva or perineum. No cancer has been found in the lymph nodes.
Stage III -- The cancer has spread to the adjacent urethra (the opening from the bladder) or to nearby lymph nodes on one side of the vulva or groin.
Stage IV -- Cancer has spread to other organs. The stage is classified as stage IVA or IVB depending on which part(s) of the body the cancer has invaded.

Cancer

RFQMR technology utilizes a totally different approach compared to conventional cancer treatments. Instead of the very high frequency ionising radiation used in radiotherapy RFQMR uses radio or sub-radio frequency, low power, non-ionising, non thermal electromagnetic waves.
The main concern of the therapy is not the immediate destruction of the cancer cells, but rather with the help of the small amount of energy provided to the cell to stop the DNA’s uncontrolled mitosis, put the cell in a vegetative state and in time through apoptosis mechanism let the body get rid of the cancerous cells in a controlled fashion.
Several clinical studies shows that changes in the transmembrane potential of the cells can have dramatic effects on the cell parameters including the ion concentration and more data can be obtained in the Scientific Research Section. RFQMR application helps to increase the transmembrane potential of the cancerous cells from the problematic -20 mV to the healthy -90 mV range. It is believed that the p53 proteins are activated and the uncontrolled mitosis of the cell comes to a halt by the RFQMR application.
A phase 1 clinical study has been held at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Bangalore India between 2004 and 2006 on more than 100 terminal cancer patients. All patients were undergone all possible conventional interventions such as chemo, radiotherapy or surgery prior to RFQMR and yet the disease cannot be controlled and they are supposed to die within a few days to few months due to cancer. Out of such patients :
There is a 90% symptomatic relief (such as ease of pain, stop using pain killers, no more weight loss etc)
In most of the patients the tumor progression is stopped or reversed
More than 60% survived more than 1 year
More than 35 % went back to normal lives and living disease free for 2 years
As all of those patients are supposed to be dead by now, the outcomes of the Cytotron therapy is outstanding. It is believed that in patients who are in terminal situation (in better overall condition, with stronger immune system and was not subject to the toxic conventional therapies with side effects) the efficacy of Cytotron will be even more pronounced.

Cancer And Convertional Treatments

Cancer refers to any one of a large number of diseases characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue. Cancer can spread throughout your body. Normally cells divide and increase in a strictly regulated process called mitosis and also they die through a mechanism called apoptosis or programmed cell death. All these are controlled by the DNA in the cells. But when there is a damage to the DNA where this processes cannot be controlled it can lead to cancer.
Conventional treatment modalities concentrate on destroying the cancerous cells of the body either by surgery, cytotoxic chemotherapy or by very high frequency ionising radiation.
Unfortunately conventional treatments have serious side effects that can lead to the death of the patient. Regarding efficacy a study appeared in the respected Clinical Oncology in 2004 states that Cytotoxic Chemotherapy improves the 5 year survival rates by only 2.1% in the USA and 2.3% in Australia or roughly improves it from 60% to 62 %. The completed report can be accessed below. There are significant side effects such as hair loss, nausea, vomiting, severe pain etc. In many cases these therapies cannot destroy he cancerous cells completely and remaining cells become more tolerant to the therapies and start metastasing to different parts of the body.
Click on the article which appeared in Fortune magazine to see why despite the fact that billions of dollars are spent on the war on cancer and still we are losing it.