Endometrial Cancer Diagnosis & Treatment
Endometrial cancer treatment: It is a type of cancer that starts as abnormal growth of cells in the uterus. The uterus is the hollow, pear-shaped pelvic organ where fetal development happens. Endometrial cancer starts in the layer of cells that form the lining of the uterus called the endometrium.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of endometrial cancer may include –
Bleeding from the vagina after menopause.
Bleeding between periods
Pain in the pelvic region
Causes
The cause of endometrial cancer is still unknown.
Endometrial cancer begins when the cells in the lining of the uterus also known as the endometrium change due to alterations in the DNA.
Factors that increase the risk of this type of cancer include:
Differences in the balance of hormones in the body. Estrogen and progesterone are the two main hormones which the ovaries make. Changes in the balance of these hormones cause differences in the endometrium.
A condition that increases the amount of estrogen but not the amount of progesterone in the body can increase the risk of this type of cancer.
A few examples include- diabetes, obesity, and irregular ovulation patterns which may happen in polycystic ovarian syndrome.
A rare and unusual type of ovarian tumor that gives off estrogen can also increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
More years of menstruation
Starting menstruation before age 12 or starting menopause later can increase the risk of this type of cancer. The more periods you have had the more exposure your endometrium has had to estrogen. Endometrial cancer occurs mostly after menopause.
Obesity – obesity is also one of the risk factors of endometrial cancer.
When to visit a doctor?
Make an appointment with your doctor if you experience any symptoms that concern you.
Diagnosing endometrial cancer
Doctors detect it at an earlier stage, which usually means a better prognosis. There is currently no early detection for endometrial cancer. If you have symptoms, your gynecologist may use one or more of the following tests to make a diagnosis: Pelvic exams: Your surgical oncologist examines the inside of your vagina and cervix to look for abnormalities. The doctor also knows the size and shape of the uterus and ovaries, which can help identify the problem.
Transvaginal ultrasound: The doctor inserts a small device called a transducer into the vagina that emits sound waves to see the uterus and ovaries in detail. Doctors can use it to look at endometrial thickness, texture, or tumors inside the uterus. Ultrasounds can also help in looking for the signs of cancer.
Endometrial sampling (biopsy): Your doctor or healthcare professional will perform a pelvic exam and remove a small amount of tissue from the endometrium with a small brush or flexible tube. Cells are scraped from the endometrium and sent to a pathologist who checks for cancer cells.
Hysteroscopy: The doctor uses a thin, flexible scope with a lighted tube and lens to examine the inside of the uterus and the endometrium. It is called a hysteroscope
Dilation and Curettage (D& C): If enough samples cannot be obtained during a biopsy or if the results of biopsy sampling are not clear, your gynecologic oncologist performs a procedure called dilation and curettage. During this procedure, the doctor obtains a tissue sample by scrapping the lining of the uterus and examines that sample under a microscope to detect cancer cells.
Endometrial cancer Treatment in Hyderabad
The most reliable and best treatment for endometrial cancer is surgery. It involves removing the uterus (hysterectomy), fallopian tubes, and ovaries (salpingo-oophorectomy). The other treatment options include medicines or radiation therapy. The treatment for endometrial cancer mostly depends on the stage of cancer, symptoms, and the extent to which the cancer has spread.
Radiation treatment: It involves killing cancer cells using powerful energy that may come from X-rays, protons, or other sources. Radiation therapy can also be used to shrink the cancer before surgery.
Chemotherapy: Strong medicines are used to kill cancer cells. One or more medicines can be used together. Chemotherapy can be used before or after surgery to remove cancer cells completely. Medical oncologists recommend chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced endometrial cancer.
Targeted therapy: The therapy involves the use of medicines to target specific receptors or chemicals in cancer cells. Medicines that are used in targeted therapy treatments cause the death of cancer cells. Chemotherapy is used in combination with targeted therapy for the treatment of advanced endometrial cancer.
Immunotherapy: Cancer cells escape and hide from the immune cells and thus survive. Immunotherapy allows the body’s immune cells to identify and target cancer cells and kill them.
Prevention of endometrial cancer
Talk to your doctor or your health care provider about the risks of hormone therapy after menopause. Unless and until you have had your uterus removed, replacing estrogen alone after menopause can increase the risk of endometrial cancer. A combination of estrogen and progestin therapy can reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.
Start taking birth control pills. The use of oral contraceptives for one year may also reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.
Maintain a healthy weight. Eat a healthy diet as obesity increases the risk of this type of cancer, so work hard to achieve a healthy weight. Working out more often and increasing your physical activity can reduce the number of calories.
If you are looking for the best endometrial cancer treatment in Hyderabad, then meet Dr. Geetha Nagasree.
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