Uterine cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the myometrium, the muscle wall of your uterus. The uterus is the hollow, pear-shaped pelvic organ that is part of the reproductive system of the females. When cancer cells develop in the uterus, they affect the reproductive system. Uterine cancer is often found at an early stage because it develops a symptom that causes irregular bleeding from the vagina, pain during intercourse, painful urination, and pelvic pain. This type of cancer occurring in the uterus is highly treatable if detected in the early stage and can often cure the patient by surgically removing their uterus. In this article, we'll explore the different forms of uterine cancer treatment.
Treatment of Uterine Cancer
The latest developments and innovations in the field of science have led scientists to treat cancer if detected at an early stage based on the symptoms, clinical examination, overall health, and personal preference for treatment. Uterine cancer treatment involves:
Treatment for uterine cancer usually involves a surgical procedure called a hysterectomy to remove the woman's uterus. The fallopian tubes and ovaries may also be taken out if the cancer cell spreads, through a procedure called a salpingo-oophorectomy.
In this therapy, radiations using high-energy beams from sources such as X-rays and protons are targeted towards cancer cells, causing them to die. Radiation therapy can be given to patients from a large machine placed outside the body (external beam radiation), or from tiny radioactive seeds and wires that can be placed within your body where there is growth of cancer cells (brachytherapy).
Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy cancer cells or stop them from growing. Some people receive one chemotherapy medicine, while in advanced stages, two or more medicines are combined in advanced uterine cancer stages that have spread beyond the uterus or to treat cancer comeback cases. These drugs are given intravenously enter the bloodstream and travel through the body to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is generally done after surgery to lower the risk of reoccurrence.
Hormone therapy is usually administered if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus in fallopian tubes and ovaries or if the cancer has recurred even after treatment. This therapy is used when surgery is not an option. The hormone used to treat uterine cancer is the progesterone hormone secreted in females, which is given in tablet form or by injection that helps to shrink some cancers.
Targeted therapy utilises drugs and other substances to target cancer cells by targeted therapy. This is done using anti-angiogenic agents that block blood vessels and shrink them to enter the tumour. Such techniques are used after surgical procedures. The drug Afinitor is mostly used to perform targeted therapy, which stops the action of proteins found in cancer cells to treat endometrial cancer in certain situations.