1. Beat the Odds
It's important for every woman to have regular gynecological exams, even if past exams have been normal. Early screening and diagnosis often detect uterine cancers in the earliest stages, before the disease has a chance to advance, making the odds for successful treatment much greater.
2. Investigate All Abnormal Bleeding
Uterine cancer can occur in the endometrium, muscle or cervix. Endometrial cancer, which is cancer in the lining of the uterus, is the most common form, with the most frequent symptom being abnormal uterine bleeding, especially after menopause. Abnormal uterine bleeding doesn't necessarily mean that a woman has uterine cancer. However, it's important to report all instances to your physician for further investigation. Other symptoms may include an unusual watery vaginal discharge that may or may not contain streaks of blood, difficult or painful urination and pain during sexual intercourse. Symptoms that occur during the later stages of the disease include pelvic mass, pain and weight loss.
3. The Need for Further Testing
If you have symptoms of uterine cancer, you doctor may order blood and urine tests, as well as performing a pelvic exam. During the exam, he'll check the vagina, uterus, bladder and rectum for lumps or swelling, inspect the cervix and perform a Pap test. The Pap test will only detect cancer cells in the cervix. To examine the upper part of the uterus, a transvaginal ultrasound is often required, to determine whether the endometrium has thickened, indicating the need for further testing and biopsy. Your doctor may perform the biopsy in his office, at which time he will take samples from the lining of the uterus to send to the lab for further analysis. Some women experience cramping and some vaginal bleeding, requiring a sanitary pad for few hours following the procedure. If he is unable to obtain a good specimen for testing, more invasive procedures such as a hysteroscopy or dilation and curettage may be necessary.
4. The Importance of Staging
Staging is the most important factor when planning a course of treatment, after the detection of uterine cancer. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetric (FIGO) is a surgical staging system used on tissue removed during surgery. The cancer is classified in stages I through IV, with some subcategories to allow for more specific staging. Stage I indicates that the cancer is limited to the body of the uterus, and hasn't spread to the lymph nodes. Stage II cancer has only spread to the cervix. Stage III has spread beyond the uterus but remains confined to the pelvic area. Stage IV cancer is the most advanced and may have spread to the bladder, rectum, lymph nodes in the groin or distant organs like the bones or lungs. The subcategories are more specific in describing locations of the cancer and the degree to which other parts of the body may be involved.
5. Discuss Treatment Options with Your Surgeon
The treatment of uterine cancer usually involves surgery, to perform a complete or partial hysterectomy. You'll want to discuss all of your options with your physician and surgeon since this may also depend on your age and state of health. Staging of the cancer will help your surgeon determine to what extent surgery is required and whether other forms of treatment are necessary. Additional treatment to destroy cancer cells may include radiation, chemotherapy or hormone therapy. Once your treatment is complete, you'll need to have regularly scheduled physical exams, pelvic exams, Pap tests, chest X-rays and blood work to make sure the cancer doesn't reoccur.
