What Is Uterine Cancer?
In very simple terms, Uterine Cancer is a very general word that is used to describe cancer in the uterus. Here are a few types of Uterine Cancer:
1. Uterine Sarcoma
Uterine Sarcoma actually develops in the myometrium, which is in the muscle wall of the uterus. This type of Uterine cancer happening to anyone is very rare.
2. Endometrial Cancer
Endometrial Cancer is known to develop in the endometrium, which is the inner lining of the uterus. It is one of the most common types of gynecologic cancer – this type of cancer affects the reproductive system.
Symptoms Of Uterine Cancer
The uterine cancer symptoms can closely resemble that of many conditions. This is especially true of the other conditions that affect the reproductive organs. If you take notice of excessive bleeding or unusual bleeding in your vagina then you might want to talk to a medical professional. An accurate and proper diagnosis so that the patient gets the proper treatment.
Here are a few signs of uterine cancer symptoms or even the signs:
- Vaginal spotting or bleeding after menopause, even if a slight amount.
- You might also notice vaginal bleeding taking place in-between periods before menopause.
- Heavy, prolonged, or frequent bleeding of the vagina if you are above the age of 40 years.
- Getting lower abdominal pain or even cramping in your pelvis, right below your belly.
- Clear or thin white vaginal discharge if you are post-menopausal.
Risk Factors For Uterine Cancer
There are various causes that are associated with Endometrial Cancer. Many of them mostly refer to the balance between estrogen & progesterone. These risk factors mainly include being overweight or having PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). It could also be due to taking estrogen without taking any progesterone. There’s another genetic factor called the “Lynch Syndrome” which poses risk – unrelated to hormones.
The main risk factors are:
1. Family History or Lifestyle
Some people are known to inherit the genetic type of disorders that increase the risk of cancer. People who have Lynch syndrome or even HNPCC have an increased risk of being affected by endometrial cancer – along with other forms of cancer.
For lifestyle choices, one may prefer having a diet that is high in fat, which ultimately increases the risk of several types of cancers – including the type of cancer that we are discussing in this article. Fatty foods are generally known to be very high in calories, and that can lead to one getting obese as well.
2. Reproductive & Menstrual History
If your period started before you attained the age of 12, then your risk for Uterine cancer also considerably increases. As your uterus remains exposed to estrogen for much longer. Very similarly, late menopause can also cause Uterine cancer. For instance, getting menopause after the age of 50.
3. Other Conditions That Might Pose A Risk
People who have tumors in the ovary have higher levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone. These types of hormonal changes can increase the risk of getting uterine cancer. Being Obese poses a problem as well, as some of the hormones get converted to estrogen by fat tissue, which raises the risk of cancer. The higher the amount of fat tissue in a person, the greater the effect on estrogen levels.
The Complications Of Endometrial Cancer
The most serious complication that arises out of having endometrial cancer is death. However, when your healthcare provider diagnoses this at an early stage, the prognosis is actually very good. Some other complications that arise out of having endometrial cancer include – the body not responding well to the treatment, anemia, and cancer spreading to other parts of the body.
Prevention
If you keep a healthy weight and remain physically active that may actually lower your chance of getting affected with uterine cancer. If you are taking estrogen, then you should start taking progesterone as well.
Treatment
Most of the people who are affected with endometrial cancer actually need surgery. The particulars of the treatment plan actually depend on the type of cancer and the overall health of the affected person.
FAQs
Here are a few frequently asked questions regarding the same:
A: A diagnosis of Uterine Cancer may be scary in nature, but it is really important to know that its most common form which is Endometrial Cancer is very much curable in nature. If it is caught at a very early stage that would mean even more good as it would prevent it from developing further.
A: According to stats, almost 50 out of every 100 women are known to survive their cancer for five years or even more after diagnosis of the same. The outcome really depends on how much the cancer has spread.
A: Uterine Cancer occurs the most after the age of 50 years. The average age at diagnosis is still 60. Uterine cancer is not very common in people who are younger than the age of 45 years.
A: Unfortunately, the removal of all cancer cannot be attained typically with patients who have stage IV disease. The treatment of stage IV Uterine Cancer is decided by the “site and areas where cancer has spread to” and the symptoms related to it.
To Wrap It Up!
That was all for information regarding Uterine Cancer! Thank you for reading up till here. I hope you found this information useful. Let me know in the comments your thoughts on the same.
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