Fertility talked through early. Dignity kept throughout.
Cancers of the ovary, uterus and cervix touch identity, motherhood and intimacy — so the surgical conversation has to cover more than margins. Dr. Patel operates on these cancers together with dedicated gynae-oncology colleagues, with fertility questions asked before treatment starts, not after.
What is gynaecologic oncology?
It covers cancers of the ovary, uterus (endometrium), cervix, vulva, and gestational trophoblastic disease. Their symptoms overlap with ordinary women’s health complaints — bloating, irregular bleeding — which is why persistent changes deserve proper evaluation rather than quiet endurance.
Surgery here is precise work: staging determines exactly how far disease has travelled, and for ovarian cancer, cytoreduction aims to leave no visible tumour behind — because completeness of that first operation measurably changes outcomes.
In early disease, fertility-preserving options exist for selected patients. They are only available if asked about in time — which is why that question comes first here.
Signs that deserve examination
Bleeding after menopause is never “just hormones”. None of these signs means cancer by itself — all of them deserve a look.
- ①Any bleeding after menopause — even one episode, ever.
- ②Bleeding between periods, or unusually heavy periods.
- ③Bloating lasting more than two weeks.
- ④Feeling full unusually quickly when eating, especially alongside bloating.
- ⑤Persistent pelvic pain or pressure.
- ⑥Unusual vaginal discharge, particularly if blood-stained.
- ⑦Pain during intercourse.
- ⑧A lump or persistent fullness felt low in the abdomen.
Conditions we treat
◆Ovarian Cancer
Staged and cytoreduced thoroughly — the completeness of surgery shapes survival.
◆Uterine (Endometrial)
Increasingly common after forty; highly curable when staged properly.
◆Cervical Cancer
Radical hysterectomy and chemoradiation pathways, chosen by stage.
◆Vulvar Cancer
Tissue-sparing excision with sentinel node assessment where appropriate.
◆Gestational Trophoblastic Disease
Molar pregnancies and related tumours — monitored and treated to complete cure.
◆Fertility Preservation
Selected early disease treated without ending the chance of children.
Operations performed here
- ◆Staging laparotomy & laparoscopySystematic sampling that establishes exactly what you’re dealing with.
- ◆Optimal cytoreduction for ovarian cancerThorough removal of visible disease, planned with the whole team.
- ◆Radical hysterectomy (Wertheim’s)Cervical cancer removed with the surrounding tissues it tends to reach.
- ◆Pelvic & para-aortic lymphadenectomyNodal clearance mapped to the disease pattern, not done by reflex.
- ◆Sentinel node techniquesIn endometrial and vulvar cancer — fewer nodes removed, same information gained.
- ◆Fertility-preserving surgeryFor carefully selected early disease, with strict follow-up agreed upfront.
From first visit to full recovery
Examination & ultrasound
Careful pelvic examination plus imaging, results explained the same day.
Tissue diagnosis
Biopsy and blood markers confirm what scans suggest.
Joint team plan
Planned with gynae-oncology colleagues; fertility questions answered before anything begins.
Surgery
Staging or cytoreduction performed to oncological standard.
Hormone & recovery care
Menopause managed deliberately when surgery brings it early.
Surveillance
Scheduled reviews — including quality-of-life conversations, not just scans.
Families usually ask…
No — the large majority are benign, functional cysts that resolve on their own. Ultrasound features and blood markers separate the worrying few from the harmless many. A cyst that looks suspicious gets taken seriously; a typical one doesn’t get over-treated.
For some early ovarian and endometrial cancers, yes — fertility-preserving surgery exists and works, under strict surveillance. It depends on type and stage, which is exactly why the question is raised at the first consultation while options remain open.
Periods stop; if ovaries are removed too, menopause arrives and is managed actively — hormones, sleep, bones, mood. Intimacy can absolutely continue afterwards. What doesn’t change: being the same person you were.
Both genuinely prevent cervical cancer. Vaccination is recommended for girls and boys before exposure; regular screening catches precancerous changes years before cancer would appear. Ask at any consultation — prevention advice comes free.
These operations are performed by Dr. Patel together with dedicated gynae-oncology colleagues — two specialists’ judgement at every decision point. You’ll meet both, and know exactly who holds which part of your care.