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March 23, 2012
Endometrial cancer is a malignant tumor originating from the uterine lining called endometrium. Sometimes referred to as uterine cancer or uterine cancer.
Signs and symptoms of endometrial cancer include :
Why I Can Hit Endometrial Cancer?
Exact cause of endometrial cancer is unknown. Endometrial cells can undergo genetic mutations to become malignant cells. The malignant cells then proliferate out of control so as to form a tumor mass ata. These malignant cells can invade surrounding healthy tissue or spread to distant organs (metastasis).
There are several factors that increase the risk of endometrial cancer, among which are:
Change the balance of female hormones in the body. There are two important female hormones made by the ovaries, namely estrogen and progesterone. Both levels of this hormone can go up and down (fluctuated) in a balanced and affect change in the endometrium. The risk of endometrial cancer increases if there are conditions or diseases that cause an increase in estrogen, but not accompanied by an increase in progesterone. An example is polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, and diabetes. Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy that contains synthetic estrogen but do not contain synthetic progesterone (progestin) also increases the risk of endometrial cancer. One type of ovarian tumors that produce estrogen (granulosa cell tumor) can also increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
Menstrual periods of time. Starting menstruation at an early age (before 12 years) or menopause at an older age (over 50 years) increases the risk of endometrial cancer. The more cycles you experience, the more often endometrium exposed to estrogen.
Never been pregnant. Women who never become pregnant have an increased risk of endometrial cancer is higher than women who had at least one pregnancy.
Increasing age. Increasingly elderly woman, the higher the risk of endometrial cancer. Most cases of endometrial cancers occur in elderly women who had experienced menopause.
Hormone therapy for breast cancer. Women who received hormone therapy for breast cancer, such as tamoxifen, have pneingkatan risk of endometrial cancer. Therefore, patients who received tamoxifen need to know the risks and melakukukan regular periodic checks.
Colon cancer syndrome, hereditary non-polyposis. A form of cancer in the family history of hereditary nonpolyposis called colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is a risk factor for colon cancer and some other cancers, including endometrial cancer. HNPCC mutations occur because of inherited genes from parents to children. If anyone in your family has HNPCC, you need to undergo screening for cancer.
Endometrial Cancer How to Know?
There are some checks and procedures to diagnose endometrial cancer.
Examination. On pelvic examination, the doctor will look at the outside and the inside of the genital organs and see if there are abnormalities in the vagina and cervix.
Ultrasonography. Ultrasound examination can be done from the top wall of the abdomen (transabdominal) and through the vagina (transvaginal). Of ultrasound, the thickness of the endometrium can be seen. Endometrial thickness greater than 5 mm in postmenopausal women require attention and further evaluation.
Hysteroscopy. This check is done by inserting a pair of binoculars (histeroskop) are flexible and thin through the vagina and cervix to the uterine cavity. In this way, doctors can examine the inside wall of the uterus and endometrium.
Tissue biopsy. To ensure the presence of malignancy, it should be taking a small amount of endometrial tissue called a biopsy. Tissue is then examined in the cytology laboratory or anatomic pathology. This procedure is a minor action that does not require anesthesia (anesthetic).
Kuratase. In certain circumstances, such as bleeding, the doctor will perform the action is called dilation and curettage (D & C) or abbreviated curettage alone. In the act of curettage, tissue scraped from inside the womb and then examined in the anatomic pathology laboratory to determine whether there are cancer cells. This action is performed under general anesthesia (general anesthesia), so that the patient is conscious during these procedures.
Once the diagnosis of endometrial cancer is established, the next procedure is to determine the stage (staging) to find out how far the disease has spread in the body. The trick, among others, by doing imaging tests, such as chest x-rays, CT scans and blood tests.
Staging of endometrial cancer are as follows:
Stage I: Cancer is found only in the uterus.
Stage II: Cancer is found in the uterus and cervix.
Stage III: Cancer has spread beyond the uterus, but has not reached the rectum and bladder. Can be found in lymph node spread of the pelvic region.
Stage IV: Cancer has spread outside the pelvic cavity and can reach the bladder, rectum or other distant organs.
There are several treatment options in endometrial cancer, depending on the stage of disease, your general condition and your options.
Surgery. Surgery is the treatment option recommended for most cases of endometrial cancer. Type of operation is the removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) and both ovaries and the ovaries channels (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy). This operation can not make your period again (if you are still menstruating) and can not be pregnant.
Radiation. Radiation therapy uses powerful radioactive rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation can be given from outside the body by radiation machine (called external radiation) or provided with a device that is inserted into the vagina (called internal radiation or brachytherapy).
Hormone Therapy. The hormone is an option if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus and can not be operated on. The choice is administration of synthetic progesterone (progestin) to raise levels of progesterone in the body, or the administration of drugs that can reduce levels of estrogen in the body.
Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the administration of drugs that can kill cancer cells. Can be given alone or a combination of several drugs. Generally, chemotherapy is given intravenously, but this time there is also a chemotherapy drug in oral tablet form. Chemotherapy is usually given in cases of endometrial cancer that is advanced (spread outside the uterus).Sumber: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/endometrial-cancer/DS00306.