Endometrial Cancer

What is endometrial cancer?
It is a cancer of the endometrium. Endometrium is the lining of the uterus (womb).
What are the common symptoms of endometrial cancer?
The most common signs of endometrial cancer are unusual bleeding, spotting or other vaginal discharge, especially after menopause and it should be evaluated immediately. Endometrial cancer can be treated successfully if caught early. It is very important to check with your doctor if you have any of these symptoms. Other symptom of endometrial cancer includes:
Difficulty in urination
Painful intercourse
Pain and mass in the pelvic area
Weight loss
What is the risk factor for endometrial cancer?
Certain things may put you in a great risk for getting endometrial cancer:
Starting period (menstruation)at early age
Late menopausal
Estrogen Replacement therapy without taking progestin
Obesity, diabetes, and diet in high animal
Infertility or never having a children
Family history of colon cancer or endometrial cancer
Type of lifestyle is also play a big factor of having a cancer, like if you are a heavy smoker (smoke more than 1 pack of cigarettes a day), poor diet and other form of cancer.
How to diagnose endometrial cancer?
Your doctor will diagnose endometrial cancer by performing some procedures
Endometrial Biopsy- You doctor will remove a small amount of tissue from your uterine wall, this tissue will send to the laboratory for cancerous or precancerous test. This procedure will do as an outpatient.
Dilatation and Curettage (D&C)- it involves widening of the of the cervix and insert an instrument to scrape or suction the uterine wall and collect the tissue. D&C is also an outpatient procedure and it takes about one hour. Usually it requires general anesthesia or just sedation.
Transvaginal imaging, MRI & CT scan, and ultrasound may also help especially for those patients who have medical conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, or other types of cancer. It is not safe for them to have anesthesia.

Is there any treatment for endometrial cancer?
Usually the main treatment is surgery (hysterectomy) the uterus, fallopian tube and ovaries will be removed. You may also need to take a medication (progestin) to balance high levels of estrogen. Also radio therapy or chemotherapy is needed. The treatment can be very effective especially if the cancer is found in early stage.

How to prevent endometrial cancer?
Attempting to prevent a cancer is a tricky process, even a doctor don’t know to prevent a certain cancer. But here are steps or idea that can help women to reduce the chance of having an endometrial cancer.
Be aware the effect of obesity and hereditary on developing endometrial cancer.
Do routine pelvic examination and Pap smear test to insure the overall health of a woman reproductive system.
Have your hormone level checked, if you have high level of a specific hormone in a woman’s body it can be a sign of endometrial cancer. Or if you’re using birth control pills, ask your doctor when to stop since this is one factor of changing your hormone level.
Daily exercise can reduce 50% of having any form of cancer.
TIPS AND WARNINGS:
Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor or any health practitioners who have knowledge about cancer of what you can do to prevent c endometrial cancer. You have all the right to know the information to keep yourself healthy.
Have regular check-up with your ob- gyne doctor; do all the yearly test and examination that recommended by your doctor.
If you are worried and stress about cancer. Take care of your emotional well being like what you do physically, by joining or volunteer any support group or have counseling through friend, hospital or some religious group.
If you received any abnormal result of your Pap smear you should follow-up with your doctor to know about what the cause of the result.