Uterine cancer (patient information)
Editor-in-Chief: Jinhui Wu
Please Join in Editing This Page and Apply to be an Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [1] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
What is uterine cancer?
The uterus is a hollow, muscular organ where a fetus grows. There are different types of uterine cancer. The most common type of uterine cancer is called endometrial cancer, which starts in the lining of the uterus. Usual syptoms of uterine cancer include unusual vaginal bleeding, trouble urinating, pelvic pain and pain during intercourse. Treatment includes hysterectomy, hormone therapy and radiation.
How do I know if I have uterine cancer and what are the symptoms of uterine cancer?
Early uterine cancer does not have any symptoms. As the tumor grows larger, people may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
- Unusual vaginal bleeding
- Trouble urinating
- Pelvic pain and pain during intercourse
- Fatigue and unexplained weight loss
Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. A person with any of these symptoms should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Who is at risk for uterine cancer?
Clinical data has suggested that the development of uterine cancer is related to several factors. Estrogen level abnormal may be the most important factor.
Hormone levels: Any change in the balance of estrogen and progesterone towards more estrogen increases the risk for developing endometrial cancer.
- Estrogen therapy: Clinical data show the use of estrogen without progesterone can lead to endometrial cancer.
- Birth control pills: Clinical observations suggest that the use of birth control pills can lower the risk of endometrial cancer.
- Total number of menstrual cycles: Medical studies show that more menstrual cycles during a woman’s lifetime raises her risk of endometrial cancer.
- Pregnancy: Studies show that more pregnancies may protect against endometrial cancer because of the the shift towards more progesterone during the peroid of pregnancies.
- Obesity: Besides ovaries, estrogens can be produced by fat tissue. So, women with more fat tissue in their bodies have higher risk of developing endometrial cancer. After menopause, estrogen produced by the fat tissue has a bigger influence than before.
- Tamoxifen: As a drug used to treatment of chest cancer, Tamoxifen acts different effect in chest tissue and uterine. It promotes the grow of endometrium and increases the risk of endometrial cancer.
- Ovarian tumors: The granulosa-theca cell tumor, one type of ovarian tumors, can produce estrogen and increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome: This is a condition with abnormal hormone levels, such as higher estrogen levels and lower levels of progesterone. This can also increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
- A diet high in animal fat
Endometrial hyperplasia: Atypical hyperplasia is a precancerous lesion of endometrial cancer.
Prior pelvic radiation therapy: Radiation can increase the risk of endometrial cancer by damaging the DNA of cells.
Diabetes: Epidemiological data show that endometrial cancer may be as much as four times more common in women with diabetes.
Family history: Clinical surveies show person with a family history of endometrial cancer has a higher risk of developing the disease.
Age: The risk of endometrial cancer increases when women became older.
How to know you have uterine cancer?
- Hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy: It is the most important test used to diagnose uterine cancer when people have certain risk factors or when signs and symptoms suggest this disease may be present. The gynecologist inserts a tiny telescope into the uterus through the cervixan and obtains abnormal samples. The tissue samples will be checked by the doctors of pathology department under a microscope to see whether cancer is present or not.
- Dilation and curettage (D & C) and endometrial biopsy: If hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy can not supply valuable information, this test need to be done after general anesthesia.
- Transvaginal ultrasound or sonography: This tests use sound waves to make pictures of the organs. Transvaginal ultrasound uses a probe inserted into the vagina to create images of the uterus and other pelvic organs and tell whether a tumor is present or not.
- Computed tomography (CT) scan: CT scans are often used to diagnose uterine cancer. It can confirm the location of the cancer and show the organs near the uterus, as well as lymph nodes and distant organs where the cancer might have spread. These are helpful for determining the stage of the cancer and in determining whether surgery is a good treatment option.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses magnetic fields but it is a different type of image than what is produced by computed tomography (CT) and produces more detailed images of the body. Like computed tomography (CT), a contrast agent may be injected into a patient’s vein to create a better picture.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan: When doing this test, a small amount of a radioactive medium is injected into your body and absorbed by the organs or tissues. This radioactive substance gives off energy which in turn is used to produce the images. PET can provide more helpful information than either CT or MRI scans. It is useful to see if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and it is also useful for your doctor to locate where the cancer has spread.
- Chest X-ray: This plain x-ray of your chest may be done to see if the cancer has spread to your lungs.
- Whole Bone Scan: The goal of a whole body bone scan is to show if a cancer has metastasized to your bones.
- CA-125: The level of CA-125 in blood can serve as a marker of helping diagnose, detecting treatment effect and monitoring recurrence.
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Diseases with similar symptoms
Where to find medical care for uterine cancer?
Directions to Hospitals Treating uterine cancer
Prevention of uterine cancer
What to expect (Outook/Prognosis)?
Copyleft Sources
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/endometrial/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/uterinecancer.html