EWHA WOMANS UNIVERSITY CANCER CENTER FOR WOMEN

FAQ

Gynecologic Cancer Center

Q.Can I get pregnant after surgery for ovarian cancer?

If found early, and when the ovarian cancer (germ cell tumor) in women of childbearing age is cured after the removal of one side ovary and chemotherapy, pregnancy and child birth can be possible. In addition, there are other ways to enable pregnancy and childbirth, including preserving the ovaries and removing the uterus, or preserving the uterus and removing the ovaries.
Q.In case of cervical cancer, should the uterus be removed?

The uterus may or may not need to be removed, depending on the extent of the cervical cancer lesion. Treatment of cervical cancer is divided into surgical treatment, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Surgical treatment are very diverse, so if the cervical cancer is found at early stage, the cancer can be cured without the uterus removal. Therefore, regular checkups are the most important.
Q.If there is an ovarian cyst, is it dangerous?

The cysts occur when ovarian follicle created in the process of ovulation grows without rupture, or when the blood accumulates in the ovulation site forming a fluid filled cyst. The most of cysts disappear spontaneously in the most women of childbearing age, but in postmenopausal women, it may become a tumor that grows continuously or become malignant. Therefore in this case, the cyst should be removed and recommended to get a biopsy, In addition, the cysts in women of childbearing age may also develop into malignant ones, so it is important to consult a gynecologist in order to get proper treatment.
Q.Dose hair loss happen when taking chemotherapy treatment?

Although not all chemotherapy treatments cause hair loss, mostly anticancer agent can case hair loss or hair damage like thinning in spite of degree difference. However, it is not permanent and usually the hair loss begins one to two weeks after chemotherapy, worsening in two months and then after chemotherapy is complete, it will recover. Therefore, don't worry too much and use wigs, hats, scarves, etc. in times of severe hair loss, and we will help you to overcome your psychological discomfort at Ewha Cancer Center for Women.
Q.Do I have to be hospitalized for anti-cancer treatment?

It is not true. In some cases, inpatient treatment may be required. However, due to the development of chemotherapy and the development of anticancer drugs, people may receive chemotherapy in the injection room and return to their homes on the same day and also orally dosing anti-cancer agents are available. We at Ewha Cancer Center for Women have prepared a special injection room for cancer patients as a pleasant and comfortable place, where the cancer patients with poor vascular conditions can get the most comfortable injections as specialized nurses are always standing by with availability.
Q.If I have surgery for a gynecological cancer, can't I have sex with spouse?

It is not really true. In the case of uterine cancer, you may have a uterine extraction or radical uterine extraction depending on the clinical stage and this does not affect your sexual activity. You can usually have sex from 6 weeks after surgery, but please being examined by and consult with your doctor. For radical hysterectomy, this procedure removes the upper part of the vagina, which shortens the length of the vagina and can make sex uncomfortable. However, continuous sexual intercourse with use of lubricants will increase the length of the vagina to a certain extent, which will make you feel better over time, even if it is a bit uncomfortable. If you receive radiotherapy for cervical cancer, you may have bleeding due to inflammation of the vaginal mucosa during treatment. Therefore, you may need to refrain sex up until 2 weeks to 1 month after the completion of radiotherapy. When you start to have sex after treatment, you may feel pain due to vaginal narrowing and dryness. These discomforts can be greatly improved by using topical female hormone treatments in the form of lubricants, vaginal tablet and cream. Many people avoid sex because of concerns about aggravation of disease, but sex does not cause a relapse of disease. We just recommend to use condoms. Once the normal sex life begins, there are no special restrictions from the healthy people.
Q.I had surgery for gynecological cancer. Shouldn't I exercise?

Light exercise can help you recover after surgery. For the first month or so, it is good to have a light walk for 30 minutes to 1 hour consistently in the morning and evening. You will be able to take some of the next steps, such as swimming, biking, hiking and golf, and after three months you will be able to do most of your workouts you used to enjoy. However, if you are undergoing post-surgical chemotherapy or radiotherapy, it is recommended to avoid heavy exercise other than a light walk. At the Ewha Womans University Cancer Center for Women, a doctor from Rehabilitation Medicine Department specialized in rehabilitation exercise of cancer patient, not only helps cancer patients with rehabilitation and teach exercise prescriptions to help for return of cancer patient to daily life, but also give exercise prescriptions to the patients suffering from post-operative lymphedema.
Q.Wouldn't it be better to have dietary supplements during chemotherapy?

Avoid irritating foods as you can, as there may be weakening of bowel function during radiotherapy or chemotherapy. It is also desirable to refrain from folk remedies or health supplements during this time. Many of these methods have not been scientifically proven for their efficacy and may cause increase of adverse effects , such as poor treatment effects or worsening of liver or kidney function due to unpredictable interactions with hospital medications. At the Womans University Cancer Center for Women, a nutritionist dedicated to the cancer patient have developed a cancer patient's diet that can consume high protein, antioxidant vitamin (vitamin C and E), and minerals, focusing on a menu that helps the canter treatment and immunity reinforcement so that the diet can help the patients during as much as possible during hospitalization.
Q.My family member has been diagnosed with cancer. It's not easy to know what to do right now.

The Ewha Cancer Center for Women is actively providing consultation for not only the cancer patients but also families of cancer patients. A medical social worker specialized in cancer patients will guide you for how to inform you about how to respond to various situations when there is a cancer patient in the family and then will make the connection with various social work organizations and inform you about the return to social life. If a cancer patient have difficulty in obtaining medical expenses or in maintaining continuous medical treatment because of the economic difficulty, the patient can get help through medical expense assistance of the sponsoring organizations and through other various methods.