Uterus Cancer Treatments

The most common form of uterine cancer is endometrial cancer. Early detection of endometrial cancer is extremely important because it can spread quickly to other organs. If the cancer is detected early, there is a 90 percent cure rate. Do not ignore the symptoms of uterine cancer. Symptoms include unusual bleeding, unusual discharge, having trouble urinating, pelvic pain and pain during sex. If you are diagnosed with uterine cancer, there are several treatment options.

Radiation Therapy

• Radiation therapy is a common form of treatment with uterine cancer. With radiation therapy, a very high dose of radiation is used to shrink the tumors and kill the cancer cells. It can be done intravenously or with an X-ray type machine. The main goal of radiation is to completely destroy all the cancer cells so that other forms of treatment are unnecessary. Radiation is more exact than chemotherapy as it does not destroy as many healthy cells and tissues.

Chemotherapy

• Chemotherapy is the use of chemicals intravenously to destroy the cancer cells. Chemo is administered through an IV into the body. Chemo destroys the cancer cells that lie outside the uterus. This form of treatment is not as effective and is not used that often with uterine cancer but can be used as a last resort when other treatments have failed or as a precaution after a hysterectomy is performed.

Surgery

• Surgery is the most common form of treatment for those who have been diagnosed with uterine cancer. A hysterectomy is the total removal of the uterus, lymph nodes, ovaries and fallopian tubes. If the cancer has not spread, the removal of the uterus plus several treatments of chemotherapy can destroy all cancer cells. Birth control pills may also be prescribed because the high levels of progesterone are said to kill cancer cells. The key in treatment of uterine cancer is early detection.