What is uterine cancer?
The uterus or womb is pear-shaped and positioned in a woman’s pelvis between the bladder and rectum. Baby grows in the uterus upon conception. The uterus has a cervix, isthmus, and fundus, which is the dome-shaped top section. The three lining layers of the uterus are the endometrium (inner layer), the myometrium (the thickest layer composed almost entirely of muscle), and the serosa (the thin outer lining of the uterus). Uterine cancer occurs in the endometrial lining and is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system. It mostly develops after menopause, between the ages of 50 and 60. The different types of uterine cancer are endometrioid adenocarcinoma, serous adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and carcinoma sarcoma.
Statistics:
Approximately 65,620 women were diagnosed with uterine, or endometrial, cancer. Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer for women. The 5-year survival rate for women with uterine cancer is 81%.
Risk Factors And Symptoms:
Age (50 and 60), early menarche (12), late menopause, never gave birth, history of infertility (an inability to become pregnant), ovarian disease, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, that could cause you to have higher than normal levels of the hormone estrogen and lower than normal levels of the hormone progesterone, elevated blood sugar (diabetes), high blood pressure (hypertension), family history of endometrial carcinoma, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, consumption of drug tamoxifen after menopause and some hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are the major risk factors for uterine cancer.
Symptoms include difficulty urinating, pain when urinating, pain during sexual intercourse, pelvic pain (usually a symptom of later stages of disease), unexplained weight loss (usually a symptom of later stages of disease).
Prevention:
Getting regular annual checkups, reporting any unexpected or abnormal vaginal bleeding, healthy weight, physical activity, low-fat diet, may help to prevent uterine cancer.
Treatment:
Surgery (hysterectomy), chemotherapy, hormone replacement therapy, radiation therapy (intensity-modulated radiation therapy, brachytherapy) are the currently available treatment options.
