Uterine cancer is a serious condition that must not be taken for granted. Seeking out medical help and talking to your medical professional if you believe you have any uterine cancer symptoms would be the smartest step to take. Yes, there may be times that uterine cancer symptoms might occur from some other problem nevertheless; it will always be better safe than sorry.
By far the most common of all the uterine cancer symptoms would be the abnormal bleeding of the vagina at the outset of menopause.
Here are several other uterine cancer symptoms you should know of:
. Whitish and watery discharge from vagina that may sometimes be accompanied with traces of blood
. Painful sensation upon urination
. Painful sexual intercourse
. Pain in the pelvic region
. Unusual growth in the pelvic region
. Unusual weight loss
Risk Factors for Uterine Cancer
The fact is that, there is no known cause of uterine cancer and even medical doctors sometimes have difficulty explaining why many people are more prone to uterine cancer while others are not. But, research studies have figured that the onset of uterine cancer may be brought on by certain predisposing factors. Those risk factors are highlighted below:
. Women over 50 years of age are more at risk
. Uterine cancer had been shown to be more prevalent among Caucasians
. Having endometrial hyperplasia
. Having hypertension
. Having a hereditary form of colorectal cancer
. Having diabetes
. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use
. The use of Tamoxifen
. Being exposed to estrogen for a long period of time
. Women who haven’t been pregnant all their lives
. Never breast-feeding a child
. Starting your menstrual cycle before turning 12 years old or starting menopause after turning 55 years old
How Uterine cancer Develops
Caner in the uterine happens as the uterus’ lining, also known as the endometrium, thickens and starts to shed once per month. This shedding is what we call as the process of menstruation. However, in a woman that has uterine cancer, the builds up of endometrium stays permanently in the uterus and doesn’t shed off. Endometrial hyperplasia then occurs where in there are increased number of cells in the uterine lining. When this happens, this would be considered as the “pre-cancer” stage as the cells continuously increase in numbers and go out of control. These fast growing cells are actually the cancer cells.
Malignant cells grow in a fast-paced manner as they form a mass of tissue. Most of the tissue mass invades the uterus through the vagina and cervix as part of unusual bleeding. The unusual bleeding happens in 85% of postmenopausal females who are identified as having endometrial cancer.
In the event that the endometrial cancer is overlooked and left untreated, the growth of cancerous cells can travel to the deep layers of connective tissues surrounding the uterus. The cancer cells can spread into the pelvic lymph nodes as well as other pelvic organs as the cancer progresses. The advanced stage of uterine cancer can metastasize passing from the lymph nodes to other areas of the body such as the vagina, lungs, bones, brain and liver.
The cancer stage has the most crucial impact on the effectiveness of uterine cancer treatment. The cancer stage is something that no any person but only your doctors can let you know soon after evaluating your condition properly. Hence early diagnosis of uterine cancer symptoms is essential as it can directly affect your prognosis and chances of survival.
Bruce Crawford has a comprehensive background in the healthcare industry. He has helped establish clinics across ten states and presently runs an exceptionally educational website on uterine cancer symptoms .