Endometrial Cancer - Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

Lining a woman's uterus is a layer referred to as the endometrium.  This is one of two layers in the uterus, with the other being the myometrium (outside layer of muscle). Cancer of the endometrium can develop when its cells start growing out of control, and inevitably invading tissues in the area or even spreading throughout the woman's body.  We call large masses of the out-of-control cells tumors.  When the tumor is more dangerous due to its ability to invade other tissue or spread, we call it malignant--or cancer.  Out-of-control cells without this ability to spread are not nearly as dangerous and are benign.  Benign tumors are rarely life-threatening.

Knowing the difference between benign and malignant tumors is especially important in cancer of the uterus since so many benign processes affect the woman's uterus and are sometimes confused for cancer.

Of all the gynecological malignancies in the U.S., endometrial cancer is by far the most common, with around 39,000 cases diagnosed last year; 7,400 deaths were attributed to the malignancy.  Any woman has a 2.6 percent chance of developing cancer of the endometrium sometime during her life.  The disease is responsible for about 6 percent of all caners in females.

Most women diagnosed with this form of cancer have been through menopause; however sometimes it strikes in younger women.  Sixty is the average age when women are diagnosed with endometrial cancer, and it's quite rare in women under age 40.  It tends to strike more Caucasian women than other races, although when it does appear in other races, it's usually diagnosed at a more advanced stage.

Some possible risk factors linked with endometrial cancer include a high-fat diet, age (the older the woman, the greater her chances of getting it), the  estrogen amount to which a woman has been exposed during her lifetime, and the number of menstrual cycles during a woman's lifetime (the more, the higher the likelihood of getting this form of cancer).  Diabetes and hypertension also seem to be risk factors for cancer of the endometrium, s does use of tamoxifen, a drug sometimes used by women with breast cancer, in order to lower their chances of a recurrence.  And finally, those with a previous family history of this cancer are more likely to get it themselves.

While you cannot eliminate all chances of getting endometrial cancer (You can't, for instance, control your family history), you can stack the deck more in your favor. Using birth-control such as depo-provera or oral contraceptive pills, which stop a woman's ovulation / menstruation, are known to reduce the risk of getting endometrial cancer as well as ovarian cancer.  Also, it's a good idea to exercise often and eat a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Fortunately endometrial cancer is easier to detect than some other forms due to the fact that recognizable symptoms often appear early in the disease.  Some symptoms include vaginal bleeding, bleeding between periods, heavy, long-lasting menstrual bleeding, unusual or foul-smelling vaginal discharge, back or pelvic pain, painful urination, painful sexual intercourse, and blood in the urine or stool.  Keep in mind that most of these symptoms can also be signs of less-serious conditions, so don't automatically assume cancer if you experience one.

Treatment for endometrial cancer almost always involves some kind of cancer to remove as much of it as possible.  Most women with the cancer will also have a hysterectomy (having the uterus removed) as well a removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Radiation therapy is also common treatment for endometrial cancer, and has proven quite effective.  In this method, high-energy rays target the cancer ells to kill them.  This decreases the chances of a recurrence of the cancer.  The patient undergoing this treatment will receive it for six to eight weeks and come in five consecutive days during those weeks.  The painless is quick and painless.

Chemotherapy, the use of cancer-fighting drugs, is used only in very advanced cases of cancer of the endometrium.  But ultimately, a physician can decide which combination of treatments will work best for any individual patient.