Endometrial Cancer and Treatment – Sheba Medical Center
The endometrium is the lining of the uterus, or womb. It is vital for pregnancy and is normally shed monthly as part of the menstrual cycle.
Endometrial cancers, or endometrial carcinomas, are divided into several types. These include adenocarcinoma, carcinosarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, transitional carcinoma, and undifferentiated carcinoma.
Risk Factors
The main risk factors for endometrial cancer are factors that change the female hormone levels. These include oral contraceptive pills, certain intrauterine devices, estrogen therapy, and age. Additional risk factors are family history, a personal history of female cancer, radiation to the pelvic area, poor diet and little exercise, and diabetes.
Types
While there are several classification systems for endometrial cancer, the five main stages are:
Stage 0:
Carcinoma in situ, or a precancerous lesion. The cancer is only present in the superficial level of the endometrium and has not spread to other organs or the lymph nodes.
Stage 3:
The cancer has spread outside of the uterus to adjacent tissues in the pelvic area.
Stage 1:
The cancer is limited to the body of the uterus. It has not invaded the uterine connective tissue, lymph nodes, or other organs.
Stage 4:
The cancer has now invaded the lymph nodes or distant organs, like the bladder, lungs, or bones.
Stage 2:
The cancer has invaded the connective tissue of the uterus, but has still not spread to the lymph nodes.
Some signs and symptoms of endometrial cancer include:
Some signs and symptoms of stomach lung include:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Pelvic pain
- Mass in the pelvis
- Unusual vaginal bleeding, included a change in menses or a sudden restart of menstruation
Endometrial cancer can be diagnosed through several diagnostic methods. These include endometrial ultrasound, tissue biopsies, hysteroscopy, and dilation and curettage (D&C).
Treatment
At Sheba Medical Center, we provide for the full needs of our patients. This includes supportive therapy, psychosocial support, and excellent, caring staff. With endometrial cancer, there are several treatments available, many of which can be used together. These include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy.
Hormonal therapy utilizes advanced drugs to block the production of estrogen, the main female sex hormone. As with ovarian cancer, estrogen can stimulate the growth of endometrial cancer cells. By reducing estrogen levels, we are able to provide more effective treatment and slow cancer growth.
In addition, Sheba Medical Center always makes available complementary therapy that has been verified by scientific research. Among this therapy is psychological support, nutrition counseling, and physiotherapy.
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