Endometrial Cancer

By Joseph Hazan,M.D.,FACOG

Endometrial Cancer is the most common

gynecological cancer.

The occurence of vaginal bleeding after

menopause is suspect.

Endometrium is the inner lining of the

uterus and in case of postmenopausal

bleeding, endometrial cancer needs to

be ruled out.

Menopause is defined as the absence

of menses for at least one year.

The average age for the “change” or

menopause is 52.

In cases of endometrial cancer irregular

and sometimes heavy bleeding

occurs around the age of menopause.

In some cases an abnormal discharge

could be present.

Endoetrial cancer is rare in younger women.

Most postmenopausal women

are alarmed if they notice the onset of

bleeding and seek medical care promptly.

Therefore this disease is usually diagnosed

fairly early and this results in a good

prognosis if the stage and grade of

cancer is relatively low.

Risk factors that are associated with

endometrial cancer are obesity, hypertension,

diabetes, polycystic ovarian disease,

lack of pregnancies, late menopause and

family history of cancer.

Birth control pill use has been found

to be associated with a lower risk for

endometrial cancer.

Diagnostic studies for endometrial cancer

include an ultrasound (pelvic ultrasonogram),

to measure endometrial thickness,

endometrial biopsy and D&C

(dilatation and curettage-

dilating the cervix and scraping the uterine

cavity to assess uterine pathology) and

hysteroscopy (to inspect the uterine

cavity and lining with a fiberoptic device).

The treatment uf endometrial cancer is

accomplished with surgery to remove the

uterus and cervix (total hysterectomy)

with tubes and ovaries (bilateral salpingo-

oophorectomy) also usually removal

of pelvic and abdominal lymph nodes

( pelvic and abdominal lymphadenectomy)

to detect and deter the spread of the disease.