Endometrial cancer is also called uterine cancer. This cancer develops when the cells in the uterus start to grow abnormally. This happens due to some genetic changes in the cells. When the cells mutate but do not die when they are supposed to, the crowd on the inner lining of the uterus. They become a cause of serious troubles like abnormal bleeding from the vagina, pain and much more. The development of these cells on the lining of the uterus is called Endometrial cancer. This cancer usually develops in females after menopause. It is one of the most common types of cancer that is found in females.
Endometrial cancer is easily diagnosable and mostly gets diagnosed in the early stage because of abnormal vaginal bleeding. Medical tourism in India is on rise because of the expert doctors who can diagnose and treat Endometrial cancer.
The most common symptoms found in Endometrial cancer patients are-
- Patients often experience changes in the length of the menstrual cycle.
- There is an abnormal bleeding pattern during menstruation.
- Vaginal bleeding during menstrual periods becomes common
- Experiencing bleeding even after menopause
- Experiencing pain in the lower abdomen or pelvic region.
- Watery or bloody discharge from the vagina.
Vaginal bleeding on normal days can be a cause of worry. If a patient has been constantly experiencing these symptoms for a long time then they should visit a doctor and get themselves checked.
There are several risk factors that increase the risk of endometrial cancer in females. Some of the main risks are mentioned for you below.
Obesity: Obesity is the biggest cause of endometrial cancer. When there is excess fat in the body, it tends to change the balance of hormones in the body which can be a cause of endometrial cancer.
Being treated for cancer earlier: If a female has been treated for cancer already then they develop a higher risk of getting endometrial cancer especially hormonal therapy that treats breast cancer.
Old age: With growing age, the chances of getting endometrial cancer increase too. It is because, with growing age, the immune system becomes weaker.
Lynch syndrome: This is a kind of disease that increases the risk of colon cancer and endometrial cancer in the body. This disease is caused by a genetic mutation that gets passed from one generation to another.
There are several ways in which endometrial cancer can be diagnosed. At first, if a patient is experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms, they must visit a gynaecologist. To analyse the symptoms, the doctor first examines the pelvic region of the patient or transvaginal ultrasound is carried out. The ultrasound helps to display the picture of the inner lining of the patient’s uterus. If any abnormalities are spotted by the doctor then a full diagnosis takes place.
- Through Biopsy: Biopsy is the best way to diagnose endometrial cancer. A doctor introduces a thin tube through the cervix or uterus. A small piece of tissue is removed from the endometrium and then the examination is carried out.
- Dilation and curettage: In this type of diagnosis, the cervix is dilated and through a special kind of tool, a sample tissue from the patient’s cervix is extracted to check for cancer.
After the sample is collected in both cases, it is sent for examination for cancer cells. The examination determines whether the patient is positive for cancer or not. If the patient is diagnosed for cancer then there are additional tests that determine the type of treatment that will be required to cure it.
Treating endometrial cancer:
Endometrial cancer treatment cost in India is quite affordable as compared to other countries. There are three different ways in which endometrial cancer can be treated.
By Surgery: The initial stages of endometrial cancer can be cured by surgery. Usually, endometrial cancer can be cured with the help of a surgery called hysterectomy. It is a very simple surgery that can be performed within hours. After the person becomes stable they can take a discharge within a day after the treatment is performed. Different types of surgeries are done to cure different types of endometrial cancers.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a process in which drugs are introduced in the patient’s body to block the path of abnormal cells and further kill them. When a patient has Endometrial cancer, they are given drugs like paclitaxel and cisplatin to cure the infected area. The drugs help to destroy as many affected cells as possible. This therapy is used when a patient is in the third stage of cancer where the cells multiply at a very high rate.
Radiation therapy: This is one of the most renowned ways to treat cancer. In radiation therapy, powerful rays like X RAYS are converged over the affected area of the patient’s body. These rays help to destroy the cancer cells and thus treat the patient.
