Signs of Uterine Cancer

Uterine (Endometrial) cancer is a disease associated with the growth of abnormal cells in the outermost layer of the uterus (endometrium). This disease usually affects women over 50 years of age. When identifying endometrial cancer at an early stage can be cured. Usually unable to diagnose the disease at the very beginning until the cancer has not spread beyond the uterus. Unusual vaginal bleeding, especially after menopause, is one of the signs of uterine cancer.

In most women, uterine cancer develops in the uterine inner mucous membrane. Therefore, uterine cancer is also called endometrial carcinoma. A minority of women created cancer in the muscular wall of the uterus. This is called a uterus sarcoma. Uterine cancer generally grows slowly. If cancer occurs in the uterine mucosa, it can then grow into the muscle layer, to the cervix or to the fallopian tubes. As cancer cells loosen and pass through the body, uterine cancer is spreading. Then, what is symptoms and signs of uterine cancer?



Signs and symptoms of uterine cancer
The most common sign and symptom of uterine cancer is the occurrence of vaginal blood loss. Women who are not yet in transition may notice an intermittent bleeding or disorder in menstruation. Women who have passed the transition can suddenly have blood loss. This blood loss can be confused with recurrent menstruation. If menstruation has been absent for more than a year, such bleeding is not menstruation. However, it does not have to be uterine cancer immediately. The blood loss can also be caused by, for example, a meat tree. By contacting the GP at an early stage, any uterine cancer can be detected more quickly. At a later stage of the disease can be abdominal pain originated.

Diagnosis of uterine cancer

If you come to the GP with complaints that could indicate uterine cancer, the doctor may do several tests to diagnose. First of all, physical examination will take place. The physical examination also includes internal research.

If necessary, the doctor may decide to forward you to a gynecologist. It can carry out the following investigations.

• Internal research. In an internal examination, a so-called duck bone is introduced into the vagina, after which the doctor can feel in the vagina with two fingers. He can also feel with one finger in the vagina and one finger in the anus. The purpose of this study is to know the location and size of the various organs in the lower abdomen. 
• Hysteroscopy . In this study, the doctor brings a tube into your uterus. With a camera at the end of the tube can then be looked at the inside of the uterus. 
• Vaginal ultrasound. In vaginal ultrasound, a thin echo device is inserted into your vagina. This allows the physician to visualize the thickness of your uterine wall and the ovaries. He can also see if there are any abnormalities in the uterine wall. 
• Curretage . Curretage is a study where a piece of tissue is taken from the uterus. This tissue is being investigated. For this research, you may be under anesthesia, in which case you must remain in the hospital for some time after the examination. 

Stages of uterine cancer

There are several stages of uterine cancer. Depending on these stages, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis may be different. The stages in which uterine cancer can be located are:

• Stage 1: Cancer has remained limited to the uterus. 
• Stage 2: The uterine cancer is extended to the cervix.
• Stage 3: The uterine cancer is at an advanced stage. Cancer has spread to other organs such as the ovaries, the sheath or the lymph nodes in your stomach.
• Stage 4: The cancer is in an advanced stage and is sown to the bladder, rectum or other organs. 

Other disorders of the uterus

Ovarian cancer should not be confused with a meat tree. A meat tree is a benign swelling in the uterus's muscle layer. Furthermore, uterine cancer should not be confused with cervical cancer. Cervical cancer develops in the cervix and has other causes, symptoms and treatment methods than uterine cancer.

Cause of uterine cancer

The precise cause of uterine cancer is unknown. However, there are a number of factors that increase the risk of uterine cancer. These factors are:

• A late onset of transition (menopause).
• No or few children have been given.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Prolonged estrogen use or excessive estrogen production. 
• Age (the older you become, the more risk is cancer).
• Long-term use of tamoxifen (medicine in breast cancer).
• High blood pressure. 
• Overweight .

Treatment of uterine cancer

Treatments used for uterine cancer are:

• Uterine surgery. Depending on the stage in which the cancer is located, the surgery may be restricted to the uterus, or ovaries and supporting tissues should also be removed.
• Chemotherapy . This treatment uses a combination of cell-killing and cell-curing inhibitors (cytostatics). In what form this treatment is given and what combination of medicines you get depends on your personal situation.
• Hormonal therapy. Ovarian cancer can be sensitive to female sex hormones. The hormones cause cancer to grow harder. If the cancer is hormone-sensitive, hormone therapy may limit the amount of female sex hormone.
• Radiation . Upon irradiation, radiation is administered to the tumor tissue by the skin. Also, surrounding tissue may have problems with the radiation.

Often a combination of the above treatments is used. What treatments you get depends on a number of factors:

• Personal circumstances.
• Stage of uterine cancer.
• The degree of malignancy of uterine cancer.

Whether the treatment is successful and you can be healed depends among other things on the stage of the sick and personal circumstances. If there is no chance of cure, the above treatments can also be used to prolong life and reduce symptoms. This is called palliative treatment.

*Image source : Mayo Clinic

References :

1. National Cancer Institute
2. Mayo Clinic
3. American Cancer Society