Endometrial Cancer: Risks, Symptoms & Treatments
What is Endometrial Cancer?
Endometrial cancer originates in the lining of the uterus, which is called the endometrium. The endometrium is the tissue that is shed during menstruation and is where a fertilized egg implants and develops into a fetus during pregnancy. Endometrial cancer ensues when cells in the endometrium start to grow and divide uncontrollably, forming a tumour.
Endometrial cancer is an extremely common type of uterine cancer and is usually found in women who are postmenopausal, although it can occur in younger women as well.
The Risk Factors Of Endometrial Cancer
The precise cause of endometrial cancer is unknown, but there are several risk factors that can increase a woman’s chance of developing the disease. These risk factors include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Having diabetes
- Having high blood pressure
- Having an early onset of menstruation (before age 12)
- Having a late onset of menopause (after age 55)
- Taking estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for a long stretch of time
- Having a family history of endometrial or colon cancer
- Prior medical history of breast or ovarian cancer
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The Symptoms of Endometrial Cancer
Symptoms of endometrial cancer could manifest in several ways, such as:
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Bleeding between periods or after menopause
- Unusually heavy menstrual bleeding
- Pelvic pain or pressure
- Pain during intercourse
- Blood in the vaginal discharge
The Treatments for Endometrial Cancer
There are several treatments available for endometrial cancer relative to the degree and severity of endometrial cancer. The most effective treatments of endometrial cancer are:
Surgery:
Surgery is usually the first line of treatment for endometrial cancer. The primary goal of surgery is to remove the cancerous tissue, as well as nearby lymph nodes, to prevent cancer from spreading.
- Hysterectomy: The most common surgical procedure for endometrial cancer is a hysterectomy, which involves removing the uterus, cervix, and ovaries. Often, the nearby lymph nodes are also removed.
- Lymph node removal: If the cancer metastasises to nearby lymph nodes, the physician might as well proceed to remove them.
Radiation therapy:
Radiation therapy deploys high-energy beams to kill cancer cells. It may be used in tandem with surgery or as the primary treatment for endometrial cancer.
- External beam radiation therapy: This type of radiation therapy involves aiming beams of radiation at the tumor from outside the body.
- Brachytherapy: In brachytherapy, small radioactive seeds or pellets are placed inside the vagina or uterus to administer a high dose of radiation to the cancerous tissue.
Chemotherapy:
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It is often combined with other treatments for endometrial cancer.
- Systemic chemotherapy: This type of chemotherapy is given intravenously or orally and travels throughout the body to kill cancer cells.
- Intra-arterial chemotherapy: In this type of chemotherapy, drugs are delivered directly to the tumor through a small tube called a catheter.
Targeted therapy:
Targeted therapy targets and selectively eliminates specific proteins or genes that help cancer cells grow. It may be used in combination with other treatments for advanced endometrial cancer.
Hormone therapy:
Hormone therapy may be used for endometrial cancer that has spread beyond the uterus. It functions by impeding the production of estrogen, which can fuel the growth of cancer cells.
What is Endometrial Cancer?
Endometrial cancer originates in the lining of the uterus, which is called the endometrium. The endometrium is the tissue that is shed during menstruation and is where a fertilized egg implants and develops into a fetus during pregnancy. Endometrial cancer ensues when cells in the endometrium start to grow and divide uncontrollably, forming a tumour.
Endometrial cancer is an extremely common type of uterine cancer and is usually found in women who are postmenopausal, although it can occur in younger women as well.
The Risk Factors Of Endometrial Cancer
The precise cause of endometrial cancer is unknown, but there are several risk factors that can increase a woman’s chance of developing the disease. These risk factors include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Having diabetes
- Having high blood pressure
- Having an early onset of menstruation (before age 12)
- Having a late onset of menopause (after age 55)
- Taking estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for a long stretch of time
- Having a family history of endometrial or colon cancer
- Prior medical history of breast or ovarian cancer
The Symptoms of Endometrial Cancer
Symptoms of endometrial cancer could manifest in several ways, such as:
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Bleeding between periods or after menopause
- Unusually heavy menstrual bleeding
- Pelvic pain or pressure
- Pain during intercourse
- Blood in the vaginal discharge
The Treatments for Endometrial Cancer
There are several treatments available for endometrial cancer relative to the degree and severity of endometrial cancer. The most effective treatments of endometrial cancer are:
Surgery:
Surgery is usually the first line of treatment for endometrial cancer. The primary goal of surgery is to remove the cancerous tissue, as well as nearby lymph nodes, to prevent cancer from spreading.
- Hysterectomy: The most common surgical procedure for endometrial cancer is a hysterectomy, which involves removing the uterus, cervix, and ovaries. Often, the nearby lymph nodes are also removed.
- Lymph node removal: If the cancer metastasises to nearby lymph nodes, the physician might as well proceed to remove them.
Radiation therapy:
Radiation therapy deploys high-energy beams to kill cancer cells. It may be used in tandem with surgery or as the primary treatment for endometrial cancer.
- External beam radiation therapy: This type of radiation therapy involves aiming beams of radiation at the tumor from outside the body.
- Brachytherapy: In brachytherapy, small radioactive seeds or pellets are placed inside the vagina or uterus to administer a high dose of radiation to the cancerous tissue.
Chemotherapy:
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It is often combined with other treatments for endometrial cancer.
- Systemic chemotherapy: This type of chemotherapy is given intravenously or orally and travels throughout the body to kill cancer cells.
- Intra-arterial chemotherapy: In this type of chemotherapy, drugs are delivered directly to the tumor through a small tube called a catheter.
Targeted therapy:
Targeted therapy targets and selectively eliminates specific proteins or genes that help cancer cells grow. It may be used in combination with other treatments for advanced endometrial cancer.
Hormone therapy:
Hormone therapy may be used for endometrial cancer that has spread beyond the uterus. It functions by impeding the production of estrogen, which can fuel the growth of cancer cells.