Endometrial Cancer
What is endometrial cancer?
The lining of the uterus is called the endometrium. Cancer of the endometrium,
a common kind of cancer in women, is a disease in which malignant (cancerous)
cells are found in the endometrium. Endometroid cancer is a specific type of
endometrial cancer.
Cancer of the endometrium is different from cancer of the muscle of the uterus,
which is called sarcoma of the uterus. Nearly all endometrial cancers are adenocarcinomas
(75 percent).
What are risk factors for endometrial cancer?
The following have been suggested as risk factors for endometrial cancer:
- starting monthly periods early -- before the age of 12
- late menopause
- infertility
- never having children
- obesity -- 30 or more pounds overweight
- being treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer
- estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) for treatment of effects of menopause
- diet high in animal fat
- diabetes
- age 40 or over
- Caucasian women
- high-socioeconomic status
- family history
- history of breast cancer
- history of ovarian cancer
- prior radiation therapy for pelvic cancer
What are symptoms of endometrial cancer?
Consult a physician if you experience any/all of the following symptoms:
- bleeding or discharge not related to your periods (menstruation)
- post-menopausal bleeding
- difficult or painful urination
- pain during intercourse
- pain and/or mass in the pelvic area
- weight loss
What are causes of endometrial cancer?
The exact cause of endometrial cancer is not yet known. It is believed that
certain risk factors affect the balance between estrogen and progesterone in
the body.
How can endometrial cancer be prevented?
The exact cause of endometrial cancer is not known, and there is no medical
cure for it at this time. However, physicians believe that avoiding the known
risk factors, when possible, using oral contraceptives, controlling obesity,
and controlling diabetes are the best ways to lower the risk of developing endometrial
cancer.
How is endometrial cancer diagnosed?
Diagnosis includes a medical history and physical exam, including a pelvic
exam to feel the vagina, rectum, and lower abdomen for masses or growths. A
Pap test may be requested as part of the pelvic exam. Several additional tests
may be used to diagnose endometrial cancer, including:
- internal pelvic examination to feel for any lumps or changes in the shape
of the uterus
- Pap test (however, because cancer of the endometrium begins inside the uterus,
problems may not show up on a Pap test.)
- dilation and curettage (D and C), and/or endometrial biopsy or similar test,
to remove pieces of the lining of the uterus
Prognosis (chances of recovery) and choice of treatment depend on the stage
of cancer -- whether it is just in the endometrium, or has spread to other parts
of the uterus or other parts of the body -- and an individual's general health.
How is endometrial cancer treated?
Specific treatment for endometrial cancer will be determined by your physician(s)
based on:
- your overall health and medical history
- extent of the disease
- your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- expectations for the course of the disease
- your opinion or preference
Generally, treatment for patients with cancer of the endometrium includes one
or more of the following:
- simple hysterectomy
- radical hysterectomy
- bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
- pelvic lymph node dissection
- laparoscopic lymph node sampling
- radiation therapy
- chemotherapy
- hormone therapy
- other
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