Uterus Cancer | Uterine cancer | Endometrial cancer

Uterine cancer is also known as endometrial adenocarcinoma. It is a cancer which begins in the lining of the uterus. The uterus is the part of a woman’s body where the foetus develops. Uterine cancer is one of those rare cancers in India, which can be diagnosed in its early stages. This is because excessive vaginal bleeding occurs, thus making it a very serious and an apparent symptom. It is also one of the few forms of cancer which can be cured as removing the uterus is often more than enough to cure the patient of uterine cancer.

Causes, diagnosis and treatment of uterine cancer

Uterine cancer symptoms & causes

Endometrial cancer symptoms

The exact cause of uterine cancer is not yet known. This is because it has long been thought that having high levels of estrogen, a female hormone, is the cause of uterine cancer. Increased estrogen thickens the endometrium and thus, increases the likelihood of uterine cancer. Uterine polyps may sometimes be one of the uterine cancer causes. Uterine fibroid symptoms may mimic as uterine tumor symptoms.

Diagnosis

There are several tests used to diagnose whether you have uterine cancer including:

• Pelvic examination: This is an examination in which the vagina, bladder, rectum and uterus are scanned for lumps. If they are found, it might be due to uterine cancer.
• Pap test: A pap test is a special test designed to scan for uterine cancer.
• Transvaginal ultrasound: A transvaginal ultrasound uses high-intensity sound waves so that pictures of the uterus can be taken.
• Uterine biopsy: During a biopsy, the doctor will remove tissue from the endometrium and it will then be analyzed for cancerous growths.

Endometrium is the lining of the uterine wall and has along with ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer is also increasing in occurrences throughout India and the world.

Uterine cancer stages | Endometrial cancer staging

The grade of an endometrial cancer is based on how much the cancer forms glands that look similar to those found in normal, healthy endometrium.

• Grade 1 tumors have 95% or more of the cancerous tissue forming glands.
• Grade 2 tumors have between 50% and 94% of the cancerous tissue forming glands.
• Grade 3 tumors have less than half of the cancerous tissue forming glands. Grade 3 cancers tend to be aggressive and have a poorer outlook than lower-grade cancers.

Uterine cancer treatment

Uterine tumor or Endometrial carcnoma can be treated using the following methods:

1. Surgery: Radical Hysterectomy primarily preferred option for early stage disease. Both open and minimal invasive approaches are suitable.

Depending on risk factors after surgery adjuvant treatment may be advised.

2. Radiation therapy or Combined Radiation therapy+Chemotherapy: Alternative to surgery in early stage and choice in late stage.

Minimally invasive surgery or laparoscopic surgery is increasingly becoming popular in all fields of surgery including gynecological oncology. Given its many advantages, it is easy to see why people prefer this form of surgery.

Laparoscopy and Endometrial Cancer

The endometrium refers to the lining of the uterus. Endometrial cancer is rare are usually affect women over the age of 55 years. A hysterectomy is one of the forms of treatment for this condition. If detected in its early stages, this hysterectomy may be performed laparoscopically. As compared to traditional surgery, this reduces the hospital stay required and is associated with fewer postoperative complications. Laparoscopy may also be used to restage patients who have already undergone a hysterectomy.

Laparoscopy can be used in a number of ways when it comes to the management and treatment of uterine cancer. These include staging apparent early stage cancer, determining the extent of the disease and surgically treatable potential and to reassess a patient in cases of recurrent cancer.

Find out what stage 4 womb cancer means and about treatment options

Stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another area of the body. There are 2 categories of stage 4 womb cancer:

4A means the cancer has grown into the bowel or bladder

4B means the cancer has spread to lymph nodes further away or to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver, bones or brain (secondary cancers or metastases)

You can no longer have children if you have

surgery to remove your womb

radiotherapy to your womb

Having treatment with some chemotherapy drugs might also lead to a loss of fertility.

If you have not yet had your menopause, your operation to remove womb cancer will bring on an early menopause. This is because when the surgeon removes your womb (hysterectomy), they also remove both your ovaries and fallopian tubes. Your surgeon may suggest leaving one ovary, but this is not always possible.

Other treatments, such as radiotherapy to the pelvis and some chemotherapy drugs can cause an early menopause.

What is advanced or metastatic cancer

Advanced uterus cancer includes stage 3 and stage 4 and terminal cancer. Stage 3 includes when cancer spreads to other tissues in and around the cervix and / or lymph nodes. Stage 4 includes metastasis.

Metastasis happens when cancer cells break away from a primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system (the system that produces stores and carries the cells that fight infections). When cancer cells spread and form a new tumour in a different organ, the new tumor is a metastatic tumor, the cells of which come from the original tumor. The most common sites of metastasis from skin cancer tumors are the liver, lungs, bones and brain. Cancer can spread to other parts of the body, too.

Some people with metastatic cancer do not have symptoms. Their metastases may be found by tests, which may be performed for other reasons such as PET, MRI or CT scan. When symptoms do occur, the type and frequency depend on the size and location of the metastasis. For example, cancer that spreads to the bones is likely to cause pain and can lead to bone fractures. Shortness of breath may be a sign of lung involvement.

Liver metastasis

If they do have symptoms, they may be vague and can include:

• Loss of appetite or feeling full early
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Itching
• Pain in the abdomen
• Swelling in the legs
• Weight loss
• Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, called jaundice

Lung metastasis

Because the lungs get blood flow from the rest of the body, cancer can travel there from other organs. Cancer that has spread to the lungs often affects breathing.

Symptoms include:

• A cough that doesn’t go away
• Chest pain
• Blood in the mucus
• Trouble breathing
• Weight loss

Bone metastasis

When cancer travels to the bones, it can weaken them and cause them to release stored calcium. Symptoms include:

• Bone pain
• Constipation, nausea, and loss of appetite from high calcium levels in the blood
• Broken bones
• Numbness or weakness in the legs and possibly the arms
• Pain in the back or neck

Are you suffering from pain?

Any cancer has only 4 treatments. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and pain relief treatment / pain management.

What is the stage of cancer? Stage decides the treatment. All advanced cancers cannot be treated by chemotherapy and / or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy / radiation therapy may not benefit in stage 4 cancer. Recent research tells that unnecessary chemotherapy may reduce quality & life span too. Pain is the most common problem in stage 3 or 4. Please remember Pain definitely can be controlled or treated at any stage of cancer. Even if you are taking ayurvedic treatment for cancer or homeopathic treatment, it will not help in pain relief – You must take pain management treatment. Pain relief is important for continuing any treatment. Pain relief needs dedicated pain management treatment usually offered by Pain specialist doctors. In addition to best cancer specialist in India, ACCN is proud to have best pain management specialist doctor in Delhi and in India. Pain management and cancer treatment goes side by side. Demand a pain free cancer treatment from your oncologist or cancer specialist doctor.

One must always remember that in stage 3 / stage 4 / terminal cancer – palliative care and pain relief treatment is usually the priority treatment so that pain relief continues at home too.  Pain free journey of cancer ie pain free cancer treatment helps in prolongation of life.

Advanced-Cancer Care Network, Delhi, India, with its branches (contact) at Delhi and Rohtak (Haryana) is a unique conglomeration of super-specialist doctors, who believe in well-being of human life.  ACCN is the best cancer hospital for stage 3 cancer, stage 4 cancer, advanced stage cancer, terminal cancer, Cancer pain management and palliative care. It offers the unique and state-of-the-art treatment for pain relief and cancer treatment in India.

Click on Pain relief in Uterus Cancer to know the best pain management methods at home for uterus cancer.

#wincancerpain

Palliative care

Palliative care is designed to give symptomatic relief to the patient, control the side-effects of illness or treatment and improve quality of life of cancer patients. Palliative care treatment is provided by a medical specialist, other than oncosurgeon or oncologist. This medical specialist is known as “Pain & Palliative Care Specialist”. India has very limited number of such specialists and if you are also not able to find one for yourself, please contact ACCN (Advanced – Cancer Care Network), we are proud to have India”s best and most qualified Pain Specialists and Palliative Care Specialists.

Click on Understanding palliative care to know the palliative care treatment for stage 3 cancer or stage 4 cancer or advanced stage cervical cancer.

Role of Palliative Care Treatment

It is usually said that role of palliative care starts, when cancer becomes incurable or advanced stage or terminal or at end-of-life. It is one of the biggest myths in cancer treatment protocols. Palliative care specialist must be consulted and involved in the cancer treatment right from the first day when cancer is diagnosed and treatment is started. Initially when cancer is at stage 1 or 2, complete focus is on cancer cure and palliative care has minimal but very important role. As the cancer (if) progresses, gradually role of palliative care also enlarges.In stage 3 or stage 4.role of palliative care becomes much more important than other regular cancer treatments.

Click on How we can help to know about our various services for advanced cancer patients.

Click on Symptom control to understand that how we can provide suffering free life to advanced cancer patient.

Benefits of Palliative Care

• Home care and health care at home
• Makes patient feel better and stay active during treatment
• Manages side-effects of cancer treatment
• Facilitates as high a quality of life as possible
• Helps cancer treatments do a better job
• Can be curative as well as life-supporting treatment
• Cancer diet planning
• Improves survival outcomes
• Increases immunity levels
• Improves communication between patient and family members
• Maintains hope and stick to principals of ethics