
Hormone therapy. You may take hormone therapy for 5 years or longer if you had estrogen receptor- or progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer. Taking bone strengthening agents.
Full Answer
What are the treatment options for Stage 1 uterine cancer?
They're given as a shot every 1 to 3 months. These drugs are also called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GNRH) agonists. Side effects can include any of the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. They can also cause muscle and joint aches.
What are the stages of uterine cancer?
An accurate diagnosis is important so you can get the proper treatment. Symptoms of endometrial cancer or uterine sarcoma include: Vaginal bleeding between periods before menopause. Vaginal bleeding or spotting postmenopause, even a slight amount. Lower abdominal pain or cramping in your pelvis, just below your belly.
What does stage 1A uterine cancer mean?
· When uterine cancer is detected and treated early on, it is not lethal. In general, individuals with stage 1 uterine cancer had a 90% 5-year survival rate. The 5-year uterine cancer survival rate, on the other hand, varies depending on how far the disease has gone.
Can hormone therapy be used to treat endometrial cancer?
Symptoms. Along with unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge, you may have pelvic or belly pain. Other signs include bloating, pain during sex, feeling …

What is the duration of hormonal therapy for cancer patients?
Standard treatment is to take these drugs for about 5 years, or to take in sequence with tamoxifen for 5 to 10 years. For women at a higher risk of recurrence, hormone treatment for longer than 5 years may be recommended. Tamoxifen is an option for some women who cannot take an AI.
What is the treatment for stage 1 uterine cancer?
The standard treatment for stage I uterine cancer is a total abdominal hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries) with or without removal of the pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes.
Is chemo required for stage 1 endometrial cancer?
Chemo is not used to treat stage I and II endometrial cancers. In most cases, a combination of chemo drugs is used.
What is the prognosis for stage 1 uterine cancer?
When uterine cancer is detected and treated early on, it is not lethal. In general, individuals with stage 1 uterine cancer had a 90% 5-year survival rate. The 5-year uterine cancer survival rate, on the other hand, varies depending on how far the disease has gone.
Does stage 1 endometrial cancer require radiation?
Stage I endometrioid cancers For women with higher grade tumors, radiation will likely be recommended after surgery. Vaginal brachytherapy (VB), pelvic radiation, or both can be used. Some younger women with early endometrial cancer may have their uterus removed without removing the ovaries.
Does Stage 1 cancer come back?
Often, cancer recurrence is metastatic. An initial cancer that was stage 1 or stage 2 can recur in stage 4 with metastases. More than 90% of cancer deaths occur due to metastases. Cancer treatments are intended to prevent cancer cells from growing or persisting in the body.
How long is chemo treatment for uterine cancer?
Generally, a course of chemotherapy is completed within three to six months and may be repeated if necessary. In the Gynecologic Oncology Program at Moffitt Cancer Center, our multispecialty team of experts takes a highly individualized approach to uterine cancer treatment.
Is uterine cancer curable if caught early?
Endometrial cancer is highly curable when found early. Uterine carcinosarcoma is a very rare type of uterine cancer, with characteristics of both endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma. It is also known as a malignant mixed mesodermal tumor.
What is Grade 1 cancer of the uterus?
Grades 1 and 2 endometrioid cancers are type 1 endometrial cancers. Type 1 cancers are usually not very aggressive and they don't spread to other tissues quickly. Type 1 endometrial cancers are thought to be caused by too much estrogen.
What are the symptoms of stage 1 uterine cancer?
Signs and symptoms of endometrial cancer include unusual vaginal bleeding or pain in the pelvis.Vaginal bleeding or discharge not related to menstruation (periods).Vaginal bleeding after menopause.Difficult or painful urination.Pain during sexual intercourse.Pain in the pelvic area.
Where is the first place uterine cancer spreads?
Endometrial cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the lining of the uterus, called endometrium. It happens when cells in the endometrium grow out of control and crowd out normal cells. Endometrial cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body such as the vagina or liver and grow there.
What is the life expectancy of someone with uterine cancer?
(These numbers are based on people diagnosed with endometrial cancer between 2011 and 2017.)...5-year relative survival rates for endometrial cancer.SEER Stage5-year Relative Survival RateLocalized96%Regional71%Distant20%All SEER stages combined84%Feb 28, 2022
Is uterine cancer curable if caught early?
Endometrial cancer is highly curable when found early. Uterine carcinosarcoma is a very rare type of uterine cancer, with characteristics of both endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma. It is also known as a malignant mixed mesodermal tumor.
Can stage 1 endometrial cancer spread?
Stage 1 uterine cancer: The cancer is only growing in the body of the uterus. It may also be growing into the glands of the cervix but is not growing into the supporting connective tissue of the cervix. The cancer has not spread to lymph nodes or distant sites.
Is Stage 1B cancer curable?
Stage 1 is highly treatable, however, it does require treatment, typically surgery and often radiation, or a combination of the two. Additionally, you may consider hormone therapy, depending on the type of cancer cells found and your additional risk factors.
What does Stage 1A uterine cancer mean?
Stage 1A: This means the cancer is in the inner lining of your uterus, called the endometrium. It may have spread less than halfway into the underlying muscle. Stage 1B: The cancer is in the endometrium and more than halfway through the underlying muscle.
What is the treatment for uterine cancer?
Uterine cancer symptoms include bleeding between periods or after menopause. Uterine cancer treatment often includes a hysterectomy to remove the u terus (womb).
When does uterine cancer occur?
Age: As women get older, the likelihood of uterine cancer increases. Most uterine cancers occur after age 50.
What is the most common cancer in women?
In the United States, endometrial cancer is the most common cancer affecting a woman’s reproductive system. It mostly affects women after menopause. About 3% of women receive a diagnosis of uterine cancer at some point during their lives.
What are the risk factors for endometrial cancer?
These include morbid obesity, a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome or taking unopposed estrogen. A genetic disorder known as Lynch syndrome is another risk factor unrelated to hormones.
What is the uterus called?
The uterus is part of the female reproductive system. It’s where a baby grows and develops during pregnancy. The top part of the uterus is called the body or corpus. At the end of the uterus is the cervix, which connects the uterus to the vagina. Uterine cancer refers to cancer in the body of the uterus. Cancer in the cervix — cervical cancer — is ...
Is endometrial cancer the same as uterine cancer?
But people often treat the terms “endometrial cancer” and “uterine cancer” the same. That’s because endometrial cancers are much more common than other cancers that arise in the uterus.
Where does uterine sarcoma develop?
Uterine sarcoma develops in the myometrium, the muscle wall of the uterus. Uterine sarcomas are very rare.
What is the treatment for stage 2 uterine cancer?
Someone with a stage II uterine carcinosarcoma often has the same type of surgery that’s used for a high-grade cancer. After surgery, radiation, chemo, or both may be used. The chemo often includes paclitaxel and carboplatin but may instead include ifosfamide, along with paclitaxel or cisplatin.
What is the first treatment for endometrial cancer?
Surgery is the first treatment for almost all women with endometrial cancer. The operation includes removing the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. (This is called a total hysterectomy bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy or TH/BSO). Lymph nodes from the pelvis and around the aorta may also be removed ...
Where does stage 3 endometrial cancer spread?
Stage III endometrial cancers have spread outside of the uterus.
What is the procedure for a woman with a clear cell carcinoma?
For women with high-grade cancers, like papillary serous carcinoma or clear cell carcinoma, the surgery may include omentectomy and perito neal biopsies along with the total hysterectomy, removal of both fallopian tubes and ovaries, pelvic and para-aortic lymph node dissections, and pelvic washings.
Does endometrial cancer grow outside the uterus?
When an endometrial cancer is stage II, it has spread to the connective tissue of the cervix. But it still hasn't grown outside the uterus.
What is the treatment for cancer after surgery?
After surgery, chemotherapy (chemo) with or without radiation therapy are given to help keep the cancer from coming back. The chemo usually includes the drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel, but other drugs can also be used.
What type of cancer spreads outside the uterus?
Other types of stage I endometrial cancers. Cancers such as papillary serous carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma, or carcinosarcoma are more likely to have already spread outside the uterus when diagnosed. Women with these types of tumors don't do as well as those with lower grade tumors.
What are the symptoms of stage 4 uterine cancer?
The symptoms of stage 4 uterine cancer are identical to stage 3. Symptoms such as bone pain or shortness of breath may also occur in regions where the disease has progressed.
What is the procedure for removing the uterus?
The typical treatment is a complete hysterectomy, which involves removing the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The surgeon may also perform a pelvic cleaning. Your abdomen is flushed with a saltwater solution at this point. After that, it’s examined for cancer cells.
What is stage IIIA?
Stage IIIA: Cancer has spread to the uterus’ outer layer, as well as the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Can you have surgery for cancer?
Surgery may be sufficient for some females. However, if you have larger masses or cancer that continues to spread, you may require further therapy. Cancer cells may have spread outside the uterus. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or vaginal brachytherapy, which distributes radioactive material to cancer cells, may be required to prevent your cancer from returning.
Does cancer go beyond the uterus?
Cancer hasn’t gone beyond your uterus at this stage. It can also affect the glands in your cervix, a thin channel at the bottom of your uterus, but not the tissues.
Where does endometrial cancer start?
Endometrial cancer, the most frequent kind, starts in the uterus’ inner lining.
Is uterine cancer lethal?
When uterine cancer is detected and treated early on, it is not lethal. In general, individuals with stage 1 uterine cancer had a 90% 5-year survival rate. The 5-year uterine cancer survival rate, on the other hand, varies depending on how far the disease has gone.
What is the treatment for uterine cancer?
It depends on the kind of uterine cancer and how far it has spread. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation. If your doctor says that you have uterine cancer, ask to be referred to a gynecologic oncologist —a doctor who has been trained to treat cancers like this.
How to choose the right cancer treatment?
Choosing the treatment that is right for you may be hard. Talk to your cancer doctor about the treatment options available for your type and stage of cancer. Your doctor can explain the risks and benefits of each treatment and their side effects . Side effects are how your body reacts to drugs or other treatments.
What is the term for the removal of cancer tissue in an operation?
Surgery: Doctors remove cancer tissue in an operation.
What is a medical oncologist?
Medical oncologists are doctors who treat cancer with medicine.
What stage of cancer is uterine cancer?
Stage I. Stage II. Stage III. Stage IV. If you get a diagnosis of uterine cancer, your doctor may tell you what stage it is. It's a way to figure out how advanced your cancer is and what kind of treatment works best. Before your doctor decides your stage, they'll use tests, such as a biopsy and ultrasound, to find what type ...
How many stages of endometrial cancer are there?
Once your doctor works out the TMN staging, they'll also figure out a broader set of stages that use Roman numerals. There are four stages of endometrial cancer: I, II, III, and IV.
What is stage 3 cancer?
Stage III. The cancer has spread to the ovaries, fallopian tubes, vagina, or lymph nodes. But it hasn't affected your bladder or the inner lining of the rectum. Stage IIIA: Cancer is in the outer layer of your uterus or the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
How do you know if you have cancer in your uterus?
There's a risk that the hormones don't work and the cancer will spread. In this phase, the cancer has spread from the uterus into the tissue of the cervix, but it still hasn't grown outside of the uterus. Symptoms. Like stage I, unusual bleeding, spotting, or discharge are the most common signs.
Can you have surgery for cancer?
For some women, surgery may be enough. But if you have bigger tumors or a fast-spreading cancer, you may need more treatment. Tiny cancer cells may have spread outside the uterus. To avoid a return of your cancer, you may need treatments like radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or vaginal brachytherapy, which delivers radioactive material to cancer cells.
What is the procedure to remove the uterus and cervix?
The standard treatment is surgery called a total hysterectomy to remove the uterus and cervix, as well as the fallopian tubes and ovaries. The surgeon may also do a pelvic washing. That's when a saltwater solution flushes your abdomen. Then it's checked for cancer cells. For some women, surgery may be enough.
Can you have uterine cancer if you are still menstruating?
If you've gone through menopause, any vaginal bleeding may be a symptom. The average age of women diagnosed with uterine cancer is 62, so it is unusual in women who are still menstruating. Treatments.
What is the endometrial lining?
The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus and has both functional and basal layers . The functional layer is hormonally sensitive and is shed in a cyclical pattern during menstruation in reproductive-age women. Both estrogen and progesterone are necessary to maintain a normal endometrial lining. However, factors that lead to an excess of estrogen, including obesity and anovulation, lead to an increase in the deposition of the endometrial lining. These changes may lead to endometrial hyperplasia, and, in some cases, endometrial cancer. Whatever the cause, a thickened lining will lead to sloughing of the endometrial tissue through the endometrial canal and into the vagina. As a result, heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding after menopause are often the initial signs of endometrial cancer. This symptom tends to happen early in the disease course, allowing for identification of the disease at an early stage for most women.
What is the most common presenting sign of endometrial cancer?
Irregular vaginal bleeding is the most common presenting sign of endometrial cancer. It generally occurs early in the disease process, and is the reason why most patients are diagnosed with highly curable stage I endometrial cancer.
Is a Pap smear a good screening test for endometrial cancer?
The Pap smear is not a reliable screening procedure for the detection of endometrial cancer, even though a retrospective study found a strong correlation between positive cervical cytology and high-risk endometrial disease (i.e., high-grade tumor and deep myometrial invasion). [ 36] .
What are the risk factors for endometrial cancer?
Increasing age is the most important risk factor for most cancers. Other risk factors for endometrial cancer include the following:
Is menstrual bleeding a sign of endometrial cancer?
As a result, heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding after menopause are often the initial signs of endometrial cancer. This symptom tends to happen early in the disease course, allowing for identification of the disease at an early stage for most women. Enlarge. Anatomy of the female reproductive system.
How many people died from cancer in 2021?
Estimated new cases and deaths from cancer of the uterine corpus, which includes the endometrium, in the United States in 2021: [ 1] New cases: 66,570. Deaths: 12,940. Endometrial cancer is usually diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
What is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States?
Related Summaries. Cancer of the endometrium is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States and accounts for 7% of all cancers in women. The majority of cases are diagnosed at an early stage and are amenable to treatment with surgery alone. [ 1] . However, patients with pathologic features predictive of a high rate ...
How does hormone therapy work?
Hormone therapy (also called hormonal therapy, hormone treatment, or endocrine therapy) slows or stops the growth of hormone-sensitive tumors by blocking the body’s ability to produce hormones or by interfering with effects of hormones on breast cancer cells. Tumors that are hormone insensitive do not have hormone receptors ...
How to treat hormone sensitive breast cancer?
Several strategies are used to treat hormone-sensitive breast cancer: Blocking ovarian function: Because the ovaries are the main source of estrogen in premenopausal women, estrogen levels in these women can be reduced by eliminating or suppressing ovarian function. Blocking ovarian function is called ovarian ablation.
What is the best treatment for ER positive breast cancer?
Hormone therapy is also a treatment option for ER-positive breast cancer that has come back in the breast, chest wall, or nearby lymph nodes after treatment (also called a locoregional recurrence). Two SERMs, tamoxifen and toremifene, are approved to treat metastatic breast cancer.
What type of cancer is adjuvant hormone therapy?
Decisions about the type and duration of adjuvant hormone therapy are complicated and must be made on an individual basis in consultation with an oncologist. Treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer: Several types of hormone therapy are approved to treat metastatic or recurrent hormone-sensitive breast cancer.
What hormones regulate estrogen and progesterone production?
Drawing shows that in premenopausal women, estrogen and progesterone production by the ovaries is regulated by luteinizing hormone (LH) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH).
Does hormone therapy affect breast cancer?
These two types of therapy produce opposite effects: hormone therapy for breast cancer blocks the growth of HR-positive breast cancer, whereas MHT can stimulate the growth of HR-positive breast cancer. For this reason, when a woman taking MHT is diagnosed with HR-positive breast cancer she is usually asked to stop that therapy.
Can hormones be used for breast cancer?
Tumors that are hormone insensitive do not have hormone receptors and do not respond to hormone therapy. Hormone therapy for breast cancer should not be confused with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)—treatment with estrogen alone or in combination with progesterone to help relieve symptoms of menopause. These two types of therapy produce opposite ...
When is stage 1 endometrial cancer?
Endometrial cancer stage one. 29 May 2020 14:45 in response to katelu72. Im 45 and have just recently ( in April 2020) being diagnosed with womb cancer grade 2 endometrial adenocarcinoma.
Can stage 1 cancer be cured?
You can get over it .. stage 1 can be cured! Just follow the advice of the oncologist doctors / nurses. They were great with me and will answer any questions you have.

Stage II Cancers
- When an endometrial cancer is stage II, it has spread to the connective tissue of the cervix. But it still hasn't grown outside the uterus. One treatment option is to have surgery first, followed by radiation therapy. The surgery includes a radical hysterectomy(the entire uterus, the tissues next to the uterus, and the upper part of the vagina are ...
Stage III Cancers
- Stage III endometrial cancers have spread outside of the uterus. If the surgeon thinks that all visible cancer can be removed, a hysterectomy is done and both ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed. Sometimes women with stage III cancers need a radical hysterectomy. A pelvic and para-aortic lymph node dissection may also be done. Pelvic washings will be done and the omen…
Stage IV Cancers
- Stage IVA:These endometrial cancers have grown into the bladder or bowel. Stage IVB:These endometrial cancers have spread to lymph nodes outside the pelvis or para-aortic area. This stage also includes cancers that have spread to the liver, lungs, omentum, or other organs. Some endometrial cancers are stage IV because they have spread to lymph nodes in the abdomen (an…
Recurrent Endometrial Cancer
- Cancer is called recurrent when it come backs after treatment. Recurrence can be local (in or near the same place it started) or distant (spread to organs such as the lungs or bone). Treatment depends on the amount of cancer and where it is, as well as the kind of treatment was used the first time. For local recurrences, such as in the pelvis, surgery (sometimes followed with radiatio…