The most common symptom of uterine cancer — in both of its main forms — is abnormal vaginal bleeding. The disease usually appears after menopause, and its cause is unknown, but anything that shifts the balance of hormones in the body can raise the risk.
Two types
Uterine cancer forms in the tissues of the uterus (womb), where a fetus grows in pregnancy.
| Endometrial cancer | Uterine sarcoma | |
|---|---|---|
| How common | The most common type | Rare |
| Where it starts | The endometrium, the lining of the uterus | Muscle or other tissue of the uterus |
| Behavior | — | More aggressive and harder to treat |
Who is more likely to get it
Obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of risk factors for certain health problems — can raise the risk. Beyond that:
| Endometrial cancer | Uterine sarcoma |
|---|---|
| Estrogen-only hormone therapy after menopause | Past radiation therapy to the pelvis |
| Type 2 diabetes | Taking tamoxifen |
| Starting periods early or reaching menopause late | |
| Never having been pregnant | |
| Taking tamoxifen, a drug that prevents or treats breast cancer | |
| Polycystic ovary syndrome | |
| A mother, sister or daughter who had endometrial cancer | |
| Certain genetic conditions, such as Lynch syndrome | |
| Endometrial hyperplasia — a thickened uterine lining |
Symptoms
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding — the most common
- Pelvic pain or pressure
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- An enlarged uterus or a mass in the pelvis
- Less often: urinating often, trouble urinating, or pain during sex
Diagnosis and treatment
A provider will ask about personal and family history, do a pelvic exam, order imaging, and may suggest a biopsy or a dilation and curettage (D&C) to examine the uterine lining.
Treatment depends on overall health, how much cancer there is and whether it has spread. The most common is a hysterectomy — surgery to remove the uterus, sometimes with the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Other options, often combined, are hormone therapy, radiation and chemotherapy.
Lowering the risk
There is no sure way to prevent uterine cancer, but a healthy weight, regular physical activity and a conversation with a provider about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy may lower it.
Sources
Based on "Uterine Cancer," MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Cancer Institute; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
1
0
0
0
Comments
