Endometrial Cancer – A Life Killer

Endometrial cancer is basically a type of cancer occurring in the uterus. High levels of estrogen are believed to be the cause of this cancer. It starts in the lining of the uterus where the layers of cells that produce estrogen are present. It is part of a group of cancers known as sarcomas. It usually happens to women aged between 60 and 70, but some cases are there where it may occur in the age group of 30 to 40.

Endometrial Cancer

 

There are two types of endometrial cancer, carcinomas and sarcomas.

Most endometrial cancer is usually adenocarcinomas meaning that they come from one cell of epithelial cells. These are the cells that produce endometrial glands.

There are three grades of this kind of cancer. The grade is based on the similarity of the cancer cell to the normal cell. If the cancer cell looks similar to a normal cell, it means that it is of a lower grade.

GRADE 1:  Glands that produce the cancerous cell is present 95% or more.

GRADE 2: Glands that produce the cancerous cell is present 50% to 95%.

GRADE 3:  Glands that produce the cancerous cell is present less than 50%. This is a high level of the cancer.

Cancer that begins in the connecting tissue or muscle tissue is known as sarcomas. The occurrence is way less than that of endometrial carcinomas.

Causes of Endometrial Cancer

  • Early menopause.
  • Obesity.
  • Infertility.
  • Early start of menstruation.
  • Diabetes.
  • Irregular periods.
  • Side effect of medication.

Symptoms of Endometrial Cancer

  • Abnormal vaginal bleeding.
  • Spotting or bleeding in between menstrual cycles.
  • Sexual pain.
  • Pelvic cramping and pain.
  • Long and heavy episodes of bleeding even after menopause.
  • Clean or thin white discharge from the vagina after menopause.

Treatment of Endometrial Cancer

  • The most common treatment is surgery. In this form of treatment, the uterus is removed from the patient’s body. Along with this, the fallopian tubes and even the ovaries are removed so that the cancer does not spread. However, the patient will not be able to become a mother after this procedure.
  • Radiation is basically the use of powerful energy beams such as X-rays that are used to kill the cancerous cells, or in some cases to reduce the size of the tumor, so that it is easier to remove during the surgery.
  • You can also undergo chemotherapy in which you will be given a single drug or else a combination of drugs to kill the cancerous cells.

Photo Credit By: infertility.about.com