Can You Identify the Signs of Endometrial Carcinoma?

There are many women who have had to suffer and deal with endometrial carcinoma. This form of cancer affects and begins in the uterus. Specifically, endometrial carcinoma begins in the living of the uterus, called the endometrium. Sometimes, this cancer may simply be referred to as uterine cancer. 

Like almost every type of cancer, the earlier it’s caught, the better the potential for treatment. Women who get early treatment for endometrial cancer have a much higher survival rate than others. The best way to do that is to understand the symptoms. That can lead to quick diagnosis and quick treatment. Learn more about the various aspects of endometrial carcinoma in this article. 

Causes of Endometrial Carcinoma

Unfortunately, the cause of the mutation within the cells of the endometrium is currently unknown. Once the healthy cells turn into cancerous cells and form a tumor, it’s too late. However, there are several known risk factors which increase the chances of getting endometrial cancer. Some of the risk factors include: 

• Age - As women age, their potential for endometrial cancer increases. 
• Additional Menstruation - Women who start menstruating early or enter menopause late are more likely to suffer from cancer. 
• Lack of Pregnancy - Women who have never been pregnant throughout their life have an increased risk of contracting endometrial carcinoma. 
• Obesity - It’s thought that excess body fat can alter the hormonal balance, increasing the risk of endometrial carcinoma. 
• Hormone Therapy - Women who have had to undergo hormone therapy for their breast cancer are more likely to deal with endometrial carcinoma at a later time. 

Symptoms of Endometrial Carcinoma

There aren’t too many symptoms of endometrial carcinoma. If you show any of the symptoms, it’s important to speak with a doctor as soon as possible. The earlier that treatment can start, then the earlier that the cancer can hopefully be fought off. Symptoms to look out for include: 

• Pain - This pain is usually specifically confined to the pelvis. 
• Bleeding - This is abnormal bleeding that is occuring vaginally outsiude of normal menstrual cycle bleeding. 
• Post Menopausal Bleeding - This is unsurprisingly not a sign that something good is occuring. 

Treating Endometrial Carcinoma

The treatment options for women suffering from endometrial carcinoma can vary. Essentially, it will depend on what stage the cancer has reached. Early stage endometrial carcinoma has the most treatment options available. Surgery is usually the main early stage treatment. A surgeon will start with exploratory surgery to determine how the cancer has spread. They could take tissue samples or lymph nodes. From there, it’s usual for a hysterectomy to take place. This is a serious surgery in which the uterus and cervix are removed. Usually this takes place along with the removal of the fallopian tubes and the ovaries. Later stage cancers will also make use of surgery. The surgeries are more severe. A radical hysterectomy involves all the aspects of a hysterectomy as well as removing lymph nodes in various parts of the body. If the tumor has spread into the pelvis and abdomen, as much of the tumor as possible will also be removed through a process called tumor debulking. 

If for whatever reason surgery is not an option, then radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the most likely treatments. Sometimes these will be offered in tandem with surgery. Radiation therapy is most likely used after surgery to ensure that cancer does not recur. Chemotherapy can be done for the same reason.