Uterine cancer is one of several reproductive cancers that affect women. As with all cancers, uterine cancer is characterized by excessive growth of abnormal cells. These cells multiply in an uncontrolled fashion, and old cells fail to die when they should. The cells grow in masses, forming tumors. As the disease progresses, these cells can invade other parts of the body (also called metastasizing), either by spreading to nearby tissue and organs or by traveling through the blood stream and colonizing in other areas. The most common type of cancer in the uterus is called endometrial cancer, and it begins in the lining of the uterus, or endometrium. This type of cancer is most often referred to simply as uterine cancer or cancer of the uterus. Cancer that develops in uterine muscles, or myometrium, is called sarcoma. Sarcoma refers to any cancer in connective or supportive tissue anywhere in the body, and is not limited to the uterus, so the term uterine cancer is generally used exclusively to describe endometrial cancer.
The symptoms of endometrial cancer include abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge, abdominal pain, pain during intercourse (also known as dyspareunia), and pain, difficulty, or discomfort during urination. Since these symptoms can occur for a variety of other reasons, they often are dismissed, mistaken for symptoms of some other medical problem, or ignored by patients, which can give any cancerous cells a chance to grow extensively before diagnosis. This can be very dangerous for patients, who will have the best chances of recovery if they seek treatment as early as possible.
Women who have had a history of cancer in their family, receive hormone therapy, take estrogen and progesterone supplements, have had a history of colorectal cancer, or suffer from obesity are at greater risk, as are those who have a condition called endometrial hyperplasia, in which cells that line the uterus wall grow at abnormal rates. Race also plays a factor in a woman's likelihood of developing the disease, with a greater number of cases developing in white women. The biggest predictor of uterine cancer, however, is age; there are very few cases of the disease in woman who have not yet reached middle age.
Uterine cancer is usually diagnosed with the aid of several tests or examinations. Doctors typically perform a pelvic exam to feel for abnormalities in the uterus, bladder, rectum, and vagina. Another method of checking for cancerous growth in the uterus is a vaginal ultrasound, which uses sound waves to create a picture of the uterus, and can show if the endometrium is abnormally thick. A test called a biopsy may also be performed, which involves taking a sample of uterine tissue and sending it to a laboratory, where it can be examined to determine the presence of cancerous cells.
Once a diagnosis is made, there are several treatment options for women with uterine cancer. First, it is important to know how far the cancer has progressed. To do this, doctors conduct a series of tests to see whether the cancer has spread to the cervix, the pelvic area, or beyond. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is frequently ordered.The most reliable treatment for uterine cancer is removal of the uterus, or hysterectomy. This operation is performed by a gynecologist, or a gynecologic surgeon, and inpatient hospitalization is required. If the cancer has spread to surrounding areas, other affected tissue may also be removed during the procedure. Sometimes uterine cancer can be stopped or controlled with radiation therapy, and for other patients, hormone therapy may be used. Sometimes these therapies are combined, especially if the cancer has spread from the uterus outside of the pelvic area, requiring treatment in other areas of the body.
After surgery or treatment, patients must continue to check in with their doctors, to make sure that all of the cancerous growth has been stopped or removed, and that cancer does not return or appear in other parts of the body.
