Uterine cancer rates are increasing: What can you do to protect yourself?

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By Jessica Saenz

Uterine cancer is the most common type of gynecologic cancer. It's estimated that about 67,880 new cases will be diagnosed in 2024. Approximately 13,250 people will die from this disease in the U.S. in 2024, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers recently reported that while death rates for the most common type of uterine cancer — endometrioid cancer — remained stable, deaths from rare and aggressive types of uterine cancer increased significantly each year from 2010 to 2017. The study also revealed a disproportionate increase in uterine cancer deaths among the Hispanic, Black and Asian communities.

Although uterine cancer can't be fully prevented, and there is no standard screening for it, an annual pelvic examination is recommended.

Kristina Butler, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gynecologic oncologist, explains what you need to know to stay vigilant and reduce your risk:

Understand uterine cancer types and how they develop.​

Like other cancers, uterine cancer can develop when mutations happen in the DNA cells of your uterus and endometrium, also called the endometrial lining. Sometimes, these mutations can turn normal, healthy cells into abnormal cells that grow and multiply uncontrollably and invade nearby tissues.

When this happens, two main types of cancer can develop:

• Endometrial cancer
  Endometrial cancer starts in the endometrium. This is the most common type of uterine cancer, and it can often be cured when detected early. Endometrioid cancer is a type of endometrial cancer that starts in gland cells.
• Uterine sarcoma
  Uterine sarcoma starts in the muscles and supporting tissues of the uterus. It is much less common but usually more aggressive.

Both types of uterine cancer also have more aggressive subtypes.

 

[Leongsam]

Almost everyone will end up with cancer if they don't die earlier from some other disease.

Cancer is part and parcel of life and death. Just accept the fact and move on. There is no point trying to fight cancer. The battle will never be won.

The only people who benefit from cancer treatment are the drug companies. They don't aim to cure you their goal is to relieve you of whatever money you have before you kick the bucket.

 

[ginfreely]

Changes in the balance of hormones also can be a risk factor for uterine cancer.

Estrogen and progesterone regulate changes in the endometrium that are part of the monthly menstrual cycle. When estrogen increases but progesterone does not, the risk of endometrial cancer can increase. This can occur with obesity because fat cells increase estrogen without progesterone, which functions to keep the uterus cancer-free.

Certain medications and conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome and obesity, or changes such as menopause, also can affect your estrogen levels.

"With age, menopause quiets the uterus, but that's when we notice the increased incidence of uterine cancer because abnormal mutations can happen," says Dr. Butler.

Watch for abnormal vaginal bleeding and other symptoms.​

Dr. Butler says abnormal vaginal bleeding can be a sign of uterine cancer. If you've gone through menopause and no longer have a monthly menstrual cycle, any amount of blood is considered abnormal. "If you have any bleeding after menopause, it's so important to get checked out quickly," she adds.

For younger people who haven't gone through menopause, abnormal bleeding can include bleeding between your menstrual cycles or after sex, and prolonged or heavy bleeding.

Though in many cases abnormal bleeding can be attributed to noncancerous conditions, it's best to talk to your health care professional if you notice changes in your cycle that are out of the ordinary for you.

 

[ginfreely]

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September 10, 2024
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By Jessica Saenz

Uterine cancer is the most common type of gynecologic cancer. It's estimated that about 67,880 new cases will be diagnosed in 2024. Approximately 13,250 people will die from this disease in the U.S. in 2024, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers recently reported that while death rates for the most common type of uterine cancer — endometrioid cancer — remained stable, deaths from rare and aggressive types of uterine cancer increased significantly each year from 2010 to 2017. The study also revealed a disproportionate increase in uterine cancer deaths among the Hispanic, Black and Asian communities.

Although uterine cancer can't be fully prevented, and there is no standard screening for it, an annual pelvic examination is recommended.

Kristina Butler, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gynecologic oncologist, explains what you need to know to stay vigilant and reduce your risk:

Understand uterine cancer types and how they develop.​

Like other cancers, uterine cancer can develop when mutations happen in the DNA cells of your uterus and endometrium, also called the endometrial lining. Sometimes, these mutations can turn normal, healthy cells into abnormal cells that grow and multiply uncontrollably and invade nearby tissues.

When this happens, two main types of cancer can develop:

• Endometrial cancer
  Endometrial cancer starts in the endometrium. This is the most common type of uterine cancer, and it can often be cured when detected early. Endometrioid cancer is a type of endometrial cancer that starts in gland cells.
• Uterine sarcoma
  Uterine sarcoma starts in the muscles and supporting tissues of the uterus. It is much less common but usually more aggressive.

Both types of uterine cancer also have more aggressive subtypes.

Changes in the balance of hormones also can be a risk factor for uterine cancer.

Estrogen and progesterone regulate changes in the endometrium that are part of the monthly menstrual cycle. When estrogen increases but progesterone does not, the risk of endometrial cancer can increase. This can occur with obesity because fat cells increase estrogen without progesterone, which functions to keep the uterus cancer-free.

Certain medications and conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome and obesity, or changes such as menopause, also can affect your estrogen levels.

"With age, menopause quiets the uterus, but that's when we notice the increased incidence of uterine cancer because abnormal mutations can happen," says Dr. Butler.

Watch for abnormal vaginal bleeding and other symptoms.​

Dr. Butler says abnormal vaginal bleeding can be a sign of uterine cancer. If you've gone through menopause and no longer have a monthly menstrual cycle, any amount of blood is considered abnormal. "If you have any bleeding after menopause, it's so important to get checked out quickly," she adds.

For younger people who haven't gone through menopause, abnormal bleeding can include bleeding between your menstrual cycles or after sex, and prolonged or heavy bleeding.

Though in many cases abnormal bleeding can be attributed to noncancerous conditions, it's best to talk to your health care professional if you notice changes in your cycle that are out of the ordinary for you.

Improve your lifestyle choices.​

You can reduce some of the known risks of uterine cancer by improving your diet, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.

"We are seeing a rise in diagnoses of uterine cancer, and we think this is because there's also a rise in other conditions and diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity," says Dr. Butler.

Obesity increases your risk of uterine cancer because extra weight can affect your menstrual cycle.

"In younger obese people, menses may not occur regularly, which allows thickening, and cancer can develop," she says.

If you need support in reaching your health goals, be sure to talk to your health care professional about support and resources that might be available to you, and learn about how a healthy diet can help reduce cancer risk. Also, taking a birth control pill can lower the risk of uterine cancer by 50%.

Discuss your risk factors with a health care professional you trust.​

Awareness of your risk factors for uterine cancer can help you and your health care professional stay ahead of this type of cancer. Although factors like age, family history and certain health conditions might not be in your control, they can help your health care professional decide if testing for uterine cancer is right for you.

If they apply to you, consider discussing these risk factors with your health care professional:

• You have inherited conditions linked to higher cancer risk.
• You have an excessive amount of body fat.
• You started menstruation before the age of 12.
• You went through menopause later in life.
• You have never been pregnant.
• You've had radiation therapy to the pelvis for cancer.
• You've had estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy after menopause.
• You've taken the drug tamoxifen for breast cancer.

Though endometrial cancer isn't usually an inherited disease, familial conditions like Lynch syndrome can increase your risk of developing it. If you don't know your family history, consider talking to a genetic counselor to learn more about your personal risk.

Dr. Butler says it's also important to find a health care professional you trust who makes you feel heard.

"Finding someone you feel comfortable with is key because you have to have open communication," she says. "You should feel safe talking with them and having those intimate discussions."

If you are diagnosed with uterine cancer, Dr. Butler says you should try to seek care from National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers.

"We know that people have improved outcomes when they go to these centers, because they follow guidelines and provide the best evidence-based care for women," she says.

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As cancer experts work to learn more about uterine cancer and better screening, Dr. Butler says the most important thing you can do is stay up to date on your annual screenings, listen to your body and advocate for yourself if something isn't normal.

When it comes to abnormal bleeding, her advice is straightforward: "Don't ignore it. It can be the first sign that something abnormal is happening and can help us detect uterine cancer early."

Learn more​

Learn more about endometrial cancerand uterine sarcoma and find a clinical trial at Mayo Clinic.

Join the Gynecologic Cancers Group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic for patients and caregivers.

 

[Papsmearer]

View attachment 210321

I will use condoms more, so I don't contract anything from a cancerous uterine.

 

[WangChuk]

cancer illness make its patients and their family suffer alot .... its painful and expensive illness that cannot be cured 100% .... hope there will be affordable medicines created to cure cancer patients ... amitofo

 

[ginfreely]

Almost everyone will end up with cancer if they don't die earlier from some other disease.

Cancer is part and parcel of life and death. Just accept the fact and move on. There is no point trying to fight cancer. The battle will never be won.

The only people who benefit from cancer treatment are the drug companies. They don't aim to cure you their goal is to relieve you of whatever money you have before you kick the bucket.

Don’t treat then leave the money to benefit others? So hypocritical of you to think of benefiting others when your rat hole forum espouses don’t like a person means can smear steal rob insult a person in anyway that greedy dogs want. Pui!

 

[ginfreely]

Oh ya @Leongsam don’t forget greedy dogs here advocate it’s people freedom to spend money - and earn money - in anyway including sell nude sell cb and pimping. So don’t act holy to ask people not to spend all their money to treat cancer and leave nothing to others. Yikes!

 

[ginfreely]

Oh ya @Leongsam don’t forget greedy dogs here advocate it’s people freedom to spend money - and earn money - in anyway including sell nude sell cb and pimping. So don’t act holy to ask people not to spend all their money to treat cancer and leave nothing to others. Yikes!

And don’t forget dogs here advocate it’s people freedom to spend money in any way including leaving inheritance in any way they want. So why need to be kind to not treat cancer and leave money for their loved ones? Let their loved ones slogged it out and find money themselves right?

 

[ginfreely]

Don’t treat then leave the money to benefit others? So hypocritical of you to think of benefiting others when your rat hole forum espouses don’t like a person means can smear steal rob insult a person in anyway that greedy dogs want. Pui!

So it’s never about benefitting others that are deserving but who you want to benefit okay? Greedy dogs here are the so called pharma exploiting others while I think at least pharma got saved some people and give people hope while greedy dogs here and out there only give people despair by steal rob people of hope AND BRAGGING ABOUT IT. Pharma are angels in comparison to dogs here!

 

[ginfreely]

I will use condoms more, so I don't contract anything from a cancerous uterine.

Tell that to your cancerous uterine women Pui!

 

[ginfreely]

cancer illness make its patients and their family suffer alot .... its painful and expensive illness that cannot be cured 100% .... hope there will be affordable medicines created to cure cancer patients ... amitofo

Expensive cancer drugs are only recent phenomenon in the last decade or so. Decades ago was only surgery chemo radiotherapy and not expensive and not bank breaking to treat cancer. Money was not even a thing in my family cancer ordeal.

 

[ginfreely]

Expensive cancer drugs are only recent phenomenon in the last decade or so. Decades ago was only surgery chemo radiotherapy and not expensive and not bank breaking to treat cancer. Money was not even a thing in my family cancer ordeal.

Oh but it’s right that cancer patients that have no hope should be thoughtful to spend time effort and money wherever possible to create and leave good memories for their loved ones especially their children and not just that of the evil horrible illness.

 

[Franjipani]

Almost everyone will end up with cancer if they don't die earlier from some other disease.

Cancer is part and parcel of life and death. Just accept the fact and move on. There is no point trying to fight cancer. The battle will never be won.

The only people who benefit from cancer treatment are the drug companies. They don't aim to cure you their goal is to relieve you of whatever money you have before you kick the bucket.

So true. TS must have committed many sins from infidelity to unfilial acts so scared of cancer retribution

 

[ginfreely]

So true. TS must have committed many sins from infidelity to unfilial acts so scared of cancer retribution

So true according to your evil cheap SELF ADMITTED ADULTERER Cantonese dog son of prostitute mouth that dare not swear if Gansiokbin is a virgin impossible to commit adultery you die a violent death and if I bring my mother to so many tours FOR ZERO RETURN THAT I KNOW SINCE DAY ONE is not filial then 99% of sinkies are not filial including you serial liar criminal bully dog Pui!