Contents:
- Medical Video: About Endometrial Cancer - Dr. Jamie Bakkum-Gamez, Mayo Clinic
- What are the treatment options for endometrial cancer?
- Operation
- Radiation
- Hormone therapy
- Chemotherapy
Medical Video: About Endometrial Cancer - Dr. Jamie Bakkum-Gamez, Mayo Clinic
If you have been diagnosed with endometrial cancer, your doctor will discuss recommendations for treatment methods that are appropriate for you. It is important for you to know and consider the risk-benefits of each choice wisely. Also consider any possible risks and side effects.
What are the treatment options for endometrial cancer?
Operation
Uterine cutting surgery is a general recommendation for most women with endometrial cancer. They must undergo a procedure to remove the uterus (hysterectomy), as well as the fallopian and ovarian tubes (salpingo-oophorectomy). Hysterectomy makes you unable to have children in the future. In addition, removal of the ovary also triggers the onset of menopause if you have not entered its time.
During surgery, the doctor will also examine the area around the uterus to look for symptoms of the spread of cancer. Doctors can also remove lymph nodes for further examination. This helps the accuracy of your cancer stage diagnosis.
Radiation
Radiation therapy uses strong energy rays, such as X-rays, to kill cancer cells. In some cases, doctors may recommend radiation to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence after surgery. In certain situations, radiation therapy can also be recommended before surgery to shrink the tumor and facilitate its appointment.
If you are not healthy enough to undergo surgery, you can choose radiation therapy. In women with worsening endometrial cancer, radiation therapy can help deal with pain associated with cancer.
Radiation therapy can include:
- Radiation from a machine outside the body, dcall external beam radiation. During this procedure you lie on the table while a machine shines radiation at certain points on your body.
- Radiation in the body. Internal radiation (brachytherapy) includes the placement of devices that have been infused with radiation rays, such as small seeds, cables or cylinders, into your vagina in a short time.
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy includes the consumption of oral drugs that affect hormone levels in the body. Hormone therapy can be your choice if your cancer worsens; has spread outside the uterus. These options include:
- Medication for increasing progesterone levels in the body. Synthetic progestins, a form of the artificial progesterone hormone, can help stop cancer cells from developing.
- Medications to reduce estrogen levels in the blood. Hormone therapy drugs can help reduce estrogen levels in the body or make it difficult for the body to use available estrogen. Cellulose endometrial cancer which depends on estrogen to help it grow can die when responding to these drugs.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. You can receive one chemotherapy drug, or a combination of two or more drugs can be used as an alternative. You can receive chemotherapy drugs orally or intravenously. Chemotherapy can be recommended for women with advanced endometrial cancer or recurrent endometrial cancer that has spread far outside the uterus. These drugs enter your bloodstream and are then carried throughout the body, removing cancer cells.
There are many therapies used to treat endometrial cancer. Which method to use for your case will depend on your discussion with the doctor to decide which treatment is most appropriate.
