Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer develops from the inner lining (endometrium) of the uterus. 95% of uterine cancers develop in the endometrium. More than 80% of all endometrial cancers are adenocarcinomas, which forms in the inner lining of the uterus.

Other types of endometrial cancer include:

  • Adenosquamous carcinoma
  • Serous adenocarcinoma
  • Uterine carcinosarcoma

Risk Factors for Endometrial Cancer

Some people who get endometrial cancer have a specific mutation in their DNA that increases their risk of getting endometrial cancer. Our hereditary cancer program can provide important information to you and your family so we can identify cancer early, when it is most treatable, and plan your treatment.

Risk factors associated with endometrial cancer include:

  • Age.
  • Family history of endometrial cancer.
  • Having had breast or ovarian cancer.
  • Hormone imbalance.
  • Long-term use of hormone replacement.
  • Menstruation beginning at an early age.
  • Not having children.
  • Obesity.
  • Type 2 diabetes.
Doctor consulting woman patient

Make an appointment

For more information, please contact your oncologist or the Cancer Care Center at (859) 301-2237, option 2.

Causes of Endometrial Cancer

The causes of endometrial cancer are not yet known. Your risk of developing the disease is higher if you have any of the known risk factors.

Symptoms of Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer often has no symptoms. Signs and symptoms that can appear are:

  • Abnormal menstruation.
  • Pelvic pain or mass in your abdomen.
  • Unexplained weight loss.
  • Unusual vaginal discharge.
  • Vaginal bleeding after menopause.

Diagnosing Endometrial Cancer

If your doctor suspects that you have endometrial cancer, they may run tests to determine the stage of cancer to develop the best treatment plan. These tests include:

  • Biopsy.
  • Blood tests to check genetic makeup and blood markers.
  • CT scan.
  • MRI.
  • PET/CT scan.
  • Pelvic exam.
  • Transvaginal ultrasound.

If you’ve been diagnosed with endometrial cancer, we can provide a second opinion and present treatment options.

Treating Endometrial Cancer

At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, we believe in caring for you, not just treating your cancer. Our holistic approach means we combine cancer treatment with working to minimize side effects and help you manage them. Our goal is to make you as comfortable as possible while we use innovative approaches to treat your cancer.

Treatment for endometrial cancer usually begins with surgery. We have expertise in robotic-assisted hysterectomy and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Our surgeons are experts in diagnosing and treating gynecologic cancers.

Depending on the stage of your cancer and whether it has spread, your treatment may include:

  • Chemotherapy — Therapy that uses drugs injected through IV, taken by mouth or applied on the skin to attack and kill cancer cells.

  • Clinical trials — Innovative drug and genetic therapies used to treat Uterine cancers.

  • Immunotherapy — Medication therapy that stimulates your own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

  • Interventional radiation procedures — Nonsurgical, minimally invasive procedures to kill or shrink tumors. We use radiofrequency ablation and embolization to destroy small tumors without surgery and chemoembolization to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to the tumor.
  • Precision medicine — Medication therapy that uses your DNA to specifically target the cells that lead to cancer and stop cancer from forming and spreading.
  • Radiation therapy — Therapy that uses high-energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.
  • Surgery — A procedure to remove cancer while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.

  • Supportive care — Helping you coordinate appointments and treating the side effects of your cancer or cancer treatment.

Preventing Endometrial Cancer

There is no way to prevent endometrial cancer, but you can lower your risk by:

  • Controlling Type 2 diabetes.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight.

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