Uterine or Endometrial Cancer

CancerGuru Types of Cancer Uterine or Endometrial

Overview

Uterine or endometrial cancer is considered the most common of all cancers in the female reproductive system and usually starts from the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) in women over 40 years. Usually, it has a good prognosis if caught early and treated.

What are uterus functions?

The uterus is a part of the female reproductive system. It functions mainly as the house of a fetus in the event of pregnancy. At the upper part of the uterus, we call it the body or corpus, whilst at the lower end, we have its lower opening, termed cervix, connecting the uterus to the vagina. Uterine cancer is that type of cancer which derives its origin from the body of your uterus. Cervical cancer is that which attacks the cervix.

What are the endometrial functions?

The endometrial lining is that inner layer of uterus. It is the one that varies for a month. The endometrium, then, would cobble its strength on the development of the hormone, meaning it would thicken during the implantation for the pregnancy. If pregnancy does not happen, there would be a change of decreasing progesterone in the body, or losing, thereby culminating the shedding of the endometrial lining-something also known as "period."

What is the prevalence of uterine cancer?

Statistics indicate that endometrial cancer is the most common cancer of the reproductive system in American women, while it occurs predominantly in the post-menopausal phase; however, only about 3% of the population will ever be diagnosed with this disorder in some phase of their lives. Every year more than 65,000 women are diagnosed.

Types of Uterine or Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial adenocarcinoma is the most common type of cancer affecting the uterus and the endometrium. It arises within the endometrial glands and manifests various grades of severity.
Uterine papillary serous carcinoma is such a cancer lining the uterus and endometrium; they are rare but often very aggressive and tend to recur even if diagnosed early.
Uterine clear-cell carcinoma is even rarer, occurring in fewer than 5% of cases.
Uterine carcinosarcoma is rare and possibly considered a more aggressive form of endometrial and uterine cancer but represents less than 5% of all cases.
Uterine sarcoma: This is a cancer of the uterus which starts from the muscular wall of the uterus otherwise referred to as myometrium. This represents less than 10% of all uterine cancers. It is this sarcoma that is often more aggressive than the other types of uterine cancer.

Risk Factors

An endometrial cancer is related to many risk factors and most of such factors are attached to the hormone balance of estrogen and progesterone. There can be classified as a spectrum of proliferative as well as no proliferative risk factors such as obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and unopposed estrogen administration without detailing associated progesterone therapy. Another possible hereditary genetic factor is called Lynch syndrome.

Age, lifestyle and family history Age: As you grow older, your chances of developing uterine cancer increase. Most uterine cancers occur after 50 years.
High-fat diet: A diet with high fat increases chances of several cancers including uterine cancer. Such foods with high fats are calorie dense hence leading to obesity.
Family history: Some families also carry inherited genetic disorders in which a person may get predisposed to developing certain types of cancers. Some increase in risk due to cancers associated with Lynch syndrome or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, HNPCC, is translated among those people.

Other conditions

A disease that is due to excessive blood sugar levels-obesity that has been discovered is a risk factor of cancers. But then, there are some studies that show a more direct association of diabetes and uterine cancer.

Obesity (body fat in excess): Fat tissues transform some hormones into estrogens, which increase the risk of uterine cancer. More visceral fat means the influence on estrogens is greater. This means that fat tissue has increased estrogen levels.
Ovarian tumors: some patients with ovarian tumors can be with very high estrogen levels and low amounts of progesterone. These hormonal imbalances might cause a raised risk for uterine cancer.

Early menstruation: If your period began before age 12, your risk for uterine cancer might increase because that is the length of time your uterus could be exposed to estrogen.
Late menopause: Similarly, menopause that takes place after age 50 increases the risk since the uterus gets exposed to estrogen.
Long menstruation spell: The number of years menstruating might be more important than your age when periods began or ended.
Not getting pregnant: The not pregnant people have a higher risk than others. Previous treatments for

Other Conditions

Earlier radiation therapy to your pelvis: Radiation therapy to the pelvis for the treatment of cancers other than uterine tumors may cause damage in the DNA of cells that may later predispose an individual to developing another type of cancer.

ERT: Some people undergo estrogen replacement therapy during menopause. The ERT without progesterone would increase the risk for uterine cancer.
Use of tamoxifen: This drug is prescribed for the treatment of breast cancer in people. It behaves like estrogen in the uterus; hence, it increases the risk of uterine cancer.

Symptoms and causes

What do uterine cancer symptoms look like?

Uterine cancer symptoms resemble those of many other diseases. This can be true with most of the other conditions affecting reproductive organs. So, in case of noticing irregular pain or unusual bleeding by way of vaginal menstrual periods, immediately call health care provider for an accurate diagnosis in order for the patient to get an appropriate treatment.

Other symptoms of endometrial carcinoma or uterine sarcoma include:

Vaginal bleeding between periods before menopause.
Vaginal bleeding or spotting after menopause, however slight.
Lower abdominal pain or cramps in your pelvis directly below your belly.
Thin white or clear discharge from vagina, if you are postmenopausal.
Very prolonged or heavy and frequent vaginal bleeding if age over 40.

What are the causes of uterine cancer?

A lot of researchers cannot come to terms with finding the exact cause of such cancers. After all, one phenomenon in the uterus causes the cells to alter their normal structure and form. They follow abnormal multiplication, renewing cell division itself, creating a structure called the tumor.

There are risk factors of certain kinds that often increase the risks of uterine cancer. If you happen to fall into the high-risk category, you should be able to talk to your healthcare provider about some preventive measures in the way of protecting your health from this disease.

Diagnosis

Uterine or Endometrial Cancer is diagnosis with the help of your healthcare provider, and they will do the following:

Perform physical exam
Perform a Pelvic examination
Ask about your symptoms, family history, and risk factors

Treatments

Most women who have endometrial cancer would have surgery. The treatment plan you will have around this disease depends on how you feel overall and what type of disease you might have. Other treatments you might have included:

Chemotherapy

uses strong medications to attack these cells that cause cancer.

Radiation therapy

sends specific, targeted sources of rays to eliminate the cancerous cells.

Hormonal therapy

administers or restricts hormones to reduce cancer effect.

Immunotherapy

enables body's own immune system to fight cancer.

Targeted therapy

is the use of drugs targeting specific cancer cells to suppress their multiplication.

Side Effects of Treatment

Treatment for uterine or endometrial cancer could prove to be very effective but might also give rise to some side effects which depend mostly on the type of treatment adopted, the stage of cancer, and even the patient's general well-being. The side effects might surface or last only temporary, or at times may be permanent, and it differs from individual to individual.

Surgery (Hysterectomy):
Fatigue during recovery, pain or discomfort at the incision site, menopause symptoms, risk of infection or bleeding, and changes in bladder or bowel function.
Radiation Therapy:
Fatigue, skin irritation or burns in the treated area, vaginal dryness or narrowing, diarrhea or bowel changes, and bladder irritation or frequent urination.
Chemotherapy:
Hair loss, fatigue, mouth sores, changes in appetite, nausea and vomiting, and increased risk of infections.
Hormone Therapy:
Hot flashes, weight gain, mood changes, and blood clots (rare)
Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy:
Fatigue, skin rash, diarrhea, and inflammation in organs (rare but serious)

Support

Such news as uterine or endometrial cancer is too heavy on a person's mind. However, in the USA, there are types of help that will provide medical, emotional, financial, and practical needs. These resources can make a huge difference for patients undergoing treatment and recovery.

Mental and Emotional Health Services

Fear, anxiety, and emotional turbulence can engulf one during cancer. The hospitals above have oncology social workers and psychologists or licensed therapists available to patients in the U.S. Many support groups, both online and in-person, offer patients an opportunity to discuss the problems they are experiencing with others facing similar treatment-related events. Some examples are CancerCare, Gilda's Club, and the ACS: free counseling and peer matching programs, along with group support.

Medical and Palliative Care

Most often it is the multidisciplinary team with gynecologic oncologists and surgeons, nurses, and palliative care specialists who treat a patient. Palliative care is most often misinterpreted to mean patients in the end-stage, but it is for alleviating symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, nausea, etc. Major cancer centers have survivorship programs designed to help the transition from quite intense treatment to living after treatment.

Nutritional and Rehabilitation Services

Registered dietitians trained in cancer care can alleviate diet-related side effects causing loss of appetite, digestive issues, or weight changes. Physical and occupational therapists will help restore strength, mobility, and performance of daily activities, particularly post-surgery or during radiation.

Financial and Insurance Guidance

Cost-management solutions are available for patients. Many use this service for navigation through health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Other nonprofits, like The Pink Fund, Patient Advocate Foundation, or Triage Cancer, help with financial planning, co-pay assistance, and appealing denials of coverage.

Transportation and Accommodating Aid

Hope Lodge avoids much of the fee housing normally for patients who travel to treatment centers, whereas the Road to Recovery program of the American Cancer Society offers free rides. A lot of cancer centers work locally with hotels and charities to help provide accommodation for overnight stays.

Caregiver and Family Support

Emotional and logistical problems are also faced by caregivers. The Cancer Support community and the Family Caregiver Alliance offer something in these lines: different types of groups, educational materials, and tools for self-care. Teaching family members about the condition their loved one faces will help in better communication and care at home.

Advocacy and Instructional Resources

Foundations such as the Foundation for Women's Cancer, the NCI, and the CDC provide all-inclusive and up-to-date treatment resources, clinical trials, and information on living with uterine cancer. Such materials should be used by the patients among other resources to self-advocate and make informed decision-making.

Research

While in the United States research on uterine and endometrial cancers focuses on early detection, genetic causes of these cancers, and effective development of therapeutics, scientists study the biology of tumors for personalized, precision medicine approaches.

New developments include targeted medications for specific mutations and immunotherapy, especially for patients with MSI-H or dMMR tumors. Ongoing national clinical trials for drug therapies, hormone treatments, and less invasive fertility-sparing procedures are testing new interventions.

Much research is funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and organizations like the Foundation for Women's Cancer. Ongoing efforts are also being put in place to improve the quality of life and survivorship care post-treatment.

Research in the US continues to inspire optimism through continually innovating and making better lives for those who suffer from uterine and endometrial cancer.

Prevention

There are almost always things out of one's control about uterine cancer; however, minimizing risk factors would be a worthwhile endeavor, which may include the following:

Perform physical exam
Controlling one's diabetes.
Keeping a healthy weight.
Talk to the practitioner regarding progesterone-only or combined estrogen and progesterone-based hormonal contraception. Such agents might even deter uterine cancer.

Questions to Ask your Healthcare Provider about Uterine or Endometrial Cancer

In case you were diagnosed with uterine cancer, the next best thing to do is to inquire from your provider:

Q1. What's the current stage of my cancer?
Q2. Which treatment options would be most suitable for me?
Q3. Will I require multiple treatments?
Q4. Are there any clinical trials that I can participate in?
Q5. What's the expected goal of treatment?
Q6. Post treatment, what should I expect?
Q7. Will cancer recur?
Q8. Am I at high risk of any other cancer?