Endometrial cancer is one type of cancer in particular that develops in the uterus. During the development of the fetus, a hollow, pear-shaped pelvic organ, takes place inside the uterus.
Endometrial cancer initially shows itself in the layer of cells that compose the uterine lining (endometrium). Uterine cancer is another name for endometrial carcinoma. One of the many malignancies that can arise in the uterus is uterine sarcoma, albeit it is much less common than endometrial cancer.
Endometrial cancer is commonly identified at an early stage because it frequently causes irregular vaginal bleeding. Early-stage endometrial cancer is typically surgically treated by removing the uterus.
Symptoms of Endometrial Cancer
Uterine cancer symptoms might mirror those of many other diseases. This is mostly true for various illnesses that affect the reproductive organs. Speak with your doctor if you have unusual discomfort or irregular vaginal bleeding. Getting a correct diagnosis is crucial so you can receive the best care. Read about Cancer Treatment in India.
Endometrial cancer signs and symptoms include:
- before menopause, vaginal bleeding between cycles.
- even a little bit of vaginal bleeding or spotting following menopause.
- Your pelvis may experience lower abdominal discomfort or cramps directly below your belly.
- You may experience a thin, clear, or white vaginal discharge if you are postmenopausal.
- If you’re over 40, you may experience extremely prolonged, heavy, or regular vaginal bleeding.
Types of Endometrial cancer
Endometrial cancer types 1 and 2
Endometrial malignancies are occasionally divided into two kinds by doctors.
- The most typical kind of cancer is type 1: They often manifest as endometrioid adenocarcinomas and are associated with high levels of estrogen in the body. They often develop slowly and disseminate less frequently.
- Excess estrogen is not associated with type 2 malignancies: They often develop more quickly and spread more readily. You can find uterine serous carcinomas and clear cell carcinomas in them.
Treatment for Endometrial cancer
Surgery is usually required for endometrial cancer patients. Your precise treatment plan will be determined by your type of cancer and general health. India is also the best option for cancer treatment and they have some of the best cancer hospitals in India.
Other therapies you could get include:
- Chemotherapy, which kills cancer cells using powerful chemicals.
- Using radiation treatment, cancer cells are killed by sending precise radiation beams.
- Hormone therapy, which utilizes or blocks hormones, can be used to treat cancer.
- Immunotherapy supports your body’s defenses against cancer.
- Targeted treatment, which employs drugs to specifically target cancer cells in an effort to prevent their growth.
More treatment options for endometrial cancer are still being researched. Given that India offers more effective therapies than other top nations, uterine cancer treatment costs in India are among the highest in the world.
Type of Uterine cancer surgery
Endometrial cancer is often treated mostly with surgery. You’ll probably have a hysterectomy, during which the doctor will likely remove your uterus and cervix. The four different hysterectomy techniques are as follows:
- Total abdominal hysterectomy: To access and remove your uterus, the surgeon creates a cut in your abdomen.
- Vaginal hysterectomy: The surgeon removes your uterus via your vagina.
- Radical hysterectomy: You could require a radical hysterectomy if the malignancy has reached your cervix. The surgeon removes your uterus along with the tissues that enclose it. Along with your cervix, the surgeon also removes the upper portion of your vagina.
- During a minimally invasive hysterectomy, your uterus is removed through a series of tiny incisions. Robotic surgery or laparoscopic surgery are both options.
During a hysterectomy, doctors frequently undertake two extra procedures:
- Ovaries and fallopian tubes are surgically removed during an operation called a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO). The majority of patients need this additional surgery to guarantee that all cancer has been removed.
- Lymphadenectomy to remove lymph nodes and check for the spread of malignancy.
Risk Factors of Endometrial Cancer
Anything that raises a person’s chances of getting cancer is a risk factor. The majority of risk factors do not actually cause cancer, despite the fact that they commonly influence how the disease progresses. Some individuals with a multitude of risk factors never develop cancer, whereas others with no known risk factors do. Knowing your risk factors and discussing them with your doctor may enable you to make better lifestyle and medical decisions that might reduce your chance of developing cancer.
Typically, endometrial cancer affects women after menopause. Over 40-year-old women make up more than 95% of endometrial cancer cases. Endometrial cancer is more likely to develop in postmenopausal women if they:
- began their menstruation early.
- late onset of menopause
- are overweight
- have high blood pressure or diabetes
- few or no children
- a history of infertility, irregular periods, or endometrial hyperplasia (abnormal growth of the endometrium)
- have a history of breast, colorectal, or endometrial cancer in your family
Prevention of Endometrial Cancer
Different factors contribute to the development of various cancer types. Researchers are still looking into what variables, as well as potential preventative measures, lead to uterine cancer. Uterine cancer cannot be entirely avoided, however, there are steps you may do to reduce your risk. Find out more about your individual risk of cancer by speaking with your medical team.
According to studies, the following things can reduce the incidence of uterine cancer:
- Taking contraceptive tablets: Oestrogen and progesterone are combined in birth control tablets, which are used cyclically to induce monthly menstruation. When taken often over a lengthy period of time, this lowers the chance of an overgrowth of the uterine lining.
- Using an intrauterine device (IUD), a birth control method, that secretes progestin.
- Consider the risk of uterine cancer before beginning HRT, particularly estrogen replacement treatment alone, which is associated with an elevated risk. HRT that combines estrogen and progesterone may assist to reduce risk. But coupled HRT raises the risk of breast cancer.
- Maintaining a healthy weight with, ideally, a BMI of under 25.
- Careful disease management, such as routine blood glucose monitoring, can reduce your risk if you have diabetes.
For Uterine treatment, you can opt for uterine cancer treatment costs in India as it not only provides friendly cost treatments of all types of cancer treatments but is one of the best leading countries for cancer treatment.