Cancer of the uterus or endometrium: symptoms, treatment and cure

The uterus is the organ where the fetus grows during pregnancy; its walls are made up of muscle and lined by a mucosa called the endometrium. Each month the endometrium undergoes changes in its thickness to build a nutritious tissue and be able to house the fertilized egg to maintain the pregnancy during the first weeks. If fertilization does not occur, the endometrium sheds and gives rise to. After this endometrial tissue is atrophic and without any activity.

When we talk about uterine cancer we usually refer to endometrial cancerSince, although the muscle of the uterine corpus can also have a malignant degeneration called sarcoma, this is very rare. Therefore, this type of cancer, usually endometrioid adenocarcinoma, affects mainly women. after menopause, the mean age of diagnosis being 63 years.

First symptoms of uterine cancer

Uterine cancer usually manifests early because causes small bleeds, (as if it were the rule), which quickly alerts the woman who is already in menopause and should not bleed. In the case of the woman who still has her period, breakthrough bleeding occurs. Other less common symptoms of uterine or endometrial cancer include pelvic pain and / or pressure.

Thus, an important message to convey is that, after having entered menopause, if there is a loss of blood, the gynecologist should be consulted so that he can rule out that it is a serious pathology. Although there are many other benign causes that can cause bleeding.

Causes and profile of women

Uterine cancer occurs because the cells that form it begin to grow uncontrollably. The cause of this type of cancer it is mostly hormonal, and appears in women who have had, which is the hormone released by the ovary during reproductive life. Therefore, it is More frequently in:

• Women who have had their first rule in early ages or have they had the last period in very old age.
• Women who have received estrogen treatment after menopause.
• It is more frequent in obese womenSince excess body fat also has a hormone-releasing role.
• It can influence having diabetes or high blood pressure.
• Family history of endometrial or colon cancer.

Is less frequent in women who have had prolonged pregnancy and lactation, because during these periods the ovaries are inactive and do not secrete estrogens. In the same way it would act as a protective effect the use of contraceptives, as they keep the ovaries at rest during treatment. By last, dieting and exercising reduce the chances of getting cancer of the uterus.

Diagnosis

The tests that are carried out for the diagnosis of cancer are usually:

• A vaginal examination.
• A transvaginal ultrasound to assess the thickness of the endometrium.
• On some occasions malignant cells can be seen in a cytology.
• In most cases, a endometrial biopsy that can be done in 3 ways: with a suction cannula that is inserted through the cervix in the same consultation, with a hysteroscopy that introduces a small camera through the neck or doing a curettage that already requires anesthesia or sedation.

In most cases it is diagnosed in the early stages. The study of extent of disease It is performed with ultrasound, a laboratory test, a chest X-ray, and an MRI or CT scan.

Stage of uterine cancer

Endometrial cancer is classified into four stages.

• Stage I: endometrial cancer confined to the body of the uterus (no cervical extension).
• Stage II: Endometrial cancer that has spread to the cervix (but not outside the uterus).
• Stage III: endometrial cancer outside the uterus, but confined to the pelvis (but not in the bladder or rectum), can be in the pelvic lymph nodes, vagina, or in the fluid of the abdominal cavity.
• Stage IV: Endometrial cancer that has spread to the bladder or rectum or has distant metastasis (spread) to other organs.

Uterine cancer Treatment

The treatment will consist only of the removal of the uterus with the ovaries and tubes, which can probably be performed using minimally invasive techniques with a rapid recovery that will allow the patient to regain her normal life in a few weeks without any sequelae. In some more advanced cases or with poor prognosis additional treatment may be necessary with a good response to treatment in this type of cancer.

What is the prognosis?

Have a good prognosis because it is usually diagnosed in early stages of the disease and because it responds well to treatments.

What you should know:

• It mainly affects women after menopause, the average age of diagnosis is 63 years and it has a good prognosis because it is usually diagnosed in the early stages of the disease and because it responds well to treatments.
• The cause is usually hormonal, due to an excess of estrogens throughout a woman's life.
• In most cases, it is diagnosed in the early stages and treatment will consist solely of the removal of the uterus with the ovaries and tubes, which can probably be performed using minimally invasive techniques with rapid recovery.