Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer, as the name suggests, affects the uterus lining, which is also referred to as endometrium.



It occupies the fourth position in the cancer type occurring in women category, preceded by breast cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer. Endometrium is a pear shaped organ. It is hollow and is the place of development of the fetus. This disease is commonly seen post reproductive age, which is between the age of 60 and 70 years. Uterine cancer is the other way of referring to endometrial cancer.

Myometrial cells or the muscle cells are a part of the uterus. Cancer of these cells are referred to as sarcomas and are depictive of less than five per cent of uterus cancer. Abnormal vaginal bleeding during the menstrual periods is a typical symptom of uterine cancer. This disease fails to affect the other tissues, provided, they are detected early. Initial stage detection results in complete cure.



Removal of the uterus annihilates the cancer. Individuals less than 40 years of age are rarely affected. Pain during intercourse, bleeding between periods, weight loss, post menopausal bleeding, vaginal spotting and vaginal discharge are the endometrial cancer symptoms.

The causative factors are being researched. Levels of estrogen are important and the factors resulting in their increase, plays an important role in causing endometrial cancer.



Gene alteration results in the proliferation of cancerous cells in the endometrium. The change in the levels of estrogen and progesterone on a monthly basis, makes the endometrium thick. This happens during the initial stages of the monthly cycle. The latter phase of the menstrual cycle includes the shedding of the endometrium, in the absence of pregnancy. Imbalance in these hormones increases the estrogen levels, thereby raising the risk of endometrial cancer.



Estrogen levels are increased by many  years of menstruation. An early puberty and late menopause, after 50 years, is an indication of the number of years exposed to estrogen.

Estrogen levels increase due to pregnancy, thereby decreasing the risk of cancer. Failure to ovulate and irregular ovulation are raises the exposure to estrogen. Adipose tissue helps in affecting the estrogen metabolism.



High fat diets are good indicators affecting the estrogen levels. Supplementation of estrogen in the post menopausal phase raises the risk of endometrial cancer. Majority of the women suffer this problem, after 40 years. Growing and developing ovarian tumors produce higher estrogen levels. Abnormality in the gene is essential for tissue repair.