Endometrial Cancer

What is endometrial cancer?

Endometrial cancer is a type of uterine cancer. The uterus is an organ inside your abdomen where an unborn baby can grow. The lining inside the uterus is called the endometrium. With endometrial cancer, abnormal cells collect in the endometrium. This group of cells is called cancer.

What increases my risk of endometrial cancer?

Caregivers may not know the cause of your endometrial cancer. The following factors increase your risk of getting it:

• Age and race: White women older than 50 have a higher risk.
  
  
• Endometrial hyperplasia: Endometrial hyperplasia can lead to endometrial cancer. Endometrial hyperplasia is a uterine lining that grows thicker than normal.
  
  
• Diseases that run in families: Your risk increases if you have a family history of breast, endometrial, or a certain type of colorectal cancer.
  
  
• Other diseases: Having diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, or breast cancer increases your risk of endometrial cancer.

How do hormone levels increase my risk of endometrial cancer?

High levels of estrogen in your body may lead to endometrial cancer over time. Estrogen is a hormone (body chemical) that is needed in certain amounts to help your body work as it should. Ask your caregiver for information about factors that cause estrogen levels to be higher than normal:

• Obesity: Women who are obese (weigh more than caregivers suggest) have more estrogen in their bodies.
  
  
• Hormone replacement therapy: Hormone replacement therapy uses hormones, such as estrogen, to treat menopause symptoms. Women who use certain hormone medicines after menopause have a higher risk of endometrial cancer.
  
  
• Late menopause or never having been pregnant: Your risk increases if you started menopause late in life or have never been pregnant.
  
  
• Medicine: Using a certain medicine that treats breast cancer increases your risk of endometrial cancer.

What are the signs and symptoms of endometrial cancer?

Unusual bleeding from your vagina is a sign of endometrial cancer. This includes bleeding after menopause or bleeding between periods.

How is endometrial cancer diagnosed?

Your caregiver will check your uterus, cervix, and ovaries during a pelvic exam. Ask your caregiver for information about these and other tests that you may need:

• Endometrial biopsy: An endometrial biopsy is used to check for cancer cells. During this test, caregivers collect a sample of cells from your uterus. The cells are sent to the lab for tests.
  
  
• Hysteroscopy: During this procedure, caregivers use a scope (tube) to see inside your uterus. A tissue sample may be collected.
  
  
• Transvaginal ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to show pictures of your uterus and ovaries.
  
  
• Dilation and curettage: During this procedure, a caregiver removes tissue from your uterus. The tissue is checked for cancer cells.

What is staging?

Staging helps you and your caregiver learn more about your endometrial cancer. When caregivers learn the stage of your cancer, it helps them suggest the best treatment options for you. The stage that your cancer is in can be found through tests or by doing surgery. A stage with a lower number means that the cancer has not spread. A stage with a higher number means that the cancer has spread beyond the area where it began.

How is endometrial cancer treated?

Treatment may decrease your symptoms, stop the cancer’s spread, or even cure the disease. Ask your caregiver for more information about the treatment that you need. Treatment options include:

• Hysterectomy: Hysterectomy is surgery to remove your uterus. Your fallopian tubes and ovaries also may be removed. Caregivers may also remove some nearby lymph nodes.
  
  
• Radiation: You may need radiation therapy. Radiation treatment uses x-rays or gamma rays to treat cancer. Radiation kills cancer cells and may stop the cancer from spreading.
  
  
• Chemotherapy: This medicine is used to treat cancer by killing cancer cells. Chemotherapy may also be used to shrink lymph nodes that have cancer in them.

What are the risks of endometrial cancer?

• Endometrial cancer can spread outside of the uterus to other body organs, such as the liver. When cancer spreads, it is called metastasis. Cancer that has spread may prevent other organs from working as they should. You may get a blood clot in your leg or arm. This can cause pain and swelling, and it can stop blood from flowing where it needs to go in the body. The blood clot can break loose and travel to your lungs. A blood clot in your lungs can cause chest pain and trouble breathing. This problem can be life-threatening.
  
  
• Risks of surgery include bleeding, infection, and damage to nearby organs, such as the bowel. You cannot have children after having a hysterectomy. During radiation or chemotherapy treatments, you may feel sick to your stomach, throw up, and lose weight. Treatments can make it hard for your body to fight illness and infection, and may cause other unwanted side effects. Cancer may come back, even with treatment. Treatment may not cure endometrial cancer. If you have questions about these risks, talk to your caregiver.

What can I do to help prevent endometrial cancer?

The following may decrease your risk of endometrial cancer:

• Ask your caregiver if you should take birth control pills: The hormone progesterone in birth control pills helps prevent endometrial cancer.
  
  
• Lose weight if you need to: Weighing more than caregivers suggest increases the chance of having diabetes, high blood pressure, and high estrogen levels. These conditions increase your risk of having endometrial cancer. If you need to lose weight, talk with your caregiver about a healthy weight-loss plan.
  
  
• Get enough exercise: Exercise decreases your risk of endometrial cancer. It also may decrease other risk factors, such as obesity and high blood pressure.

What can I do to help cope with having endometrial cancer?

• Eat enough protein and calories: Foods may taste different during cancer treatment. You may not feel like eating, and you may lose weight. Ask your caregiver for more information about the best eating plan for you. Do the following to help your body get the protein and calories it needs:
  
  
  • Eat small meals every 2 to 3 hours.
    
    
  • If you have stomach discomfort during the night, eat your last meal 2 to 3 hours before going to bed. Raise the head of your bed, or sleep with your head up on pillows.
    
    
  • Eat when you feel hungry. Vary your foods, and eat what you want to eat.
    
    
  • Ask your caregiver about adding nutritional bars and drinks to your eating plan.
    
    
  • Drink most of your liquids between rather than with meals. Liquids can make you feel full faster and result in your not eating enough calories.
  
  
• Get enough exercise: Exercise, such as walking, prevents muscle loss and can help you feel more like eating. Talk with your caregiver about the best exercise program for you.
  
  
• Ask for counseling and support: Talk with your caregiver about how having cancer has changed your life. Endometrial cancer can affect how you feel about yourself and your relationships. You may want to see a caregiver who does counseling (talk therapy). Counseling may help you cope with the physical and emotional effects of cancer. You also may want to join a cancer support group. This is a group of women who also have cancer.
  
  
• Ask your caregiver when and where to go for follow-up visits: Ask caregivers for information about the treatments and services that you may need at home.

Where can I find more information?

• National Cancer Institute
  6116 Executive Boulevard, Room 3036A
  Bethesda , MD 20892-8322
  Phone: 1- 800 - 422-6237
  Web Address: http://www.cancer.gov
  

When should I call my caregiver?

• Your abdomen or legs are swollen.
  
  
• You do not want to eat or have lost weight without trying.
  
  
• Your back, pelvis, hips, or abdomen are painful.

When should I seek immediate help?

Seek care immediately or call 911 if:

• You are bleeding from your vagina.
  
  
• You see blood in your stool, or your stools are black.
  
  
• There is blood in your urine.
  
  
• You suddenly feel lightheaded and have trouble breathing.
  
  
• You have new and sudden chest pain. You may have more pain when you take deep breaths or cough. You may cough up blood.
  
  
• Your arm or leg feels warm, tender, and painful. It may look swollen and red.
  
  
• You have chest pain or trouble breathing that is getting worse over time.

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about Endometrial Cancer