Uterine cancer, also known as endometrial cancer, ranks sixth among the types of cancer that most significantly impacts women globally. In India, while uterine cancer currently accounts for approximately 2.5% of reported cancer cases, its incidence is sharply rising, making it the predominant cancer type affecting women in the country.
Uterine cancer is an uncontrolled DNA mutation in the cells of the uterus. It develops in the inner lining or muscle tissues of the uterus. Through timely diagnosis and treatment, this cancer can be cured. The removal of the uterus is generally the first line of treatment that is given to uterine cancer-affected patients.
If you or someone you know has been struggling with uterus cancer symptoms, this article may help you understand and manage this condition. Let’s go a little deeper to know what is uterine cancer, what are the symptoms of uterine cancer, its causes, and the probable treatments.
Understanding Uterine Cancer
Uterine cancer is the most common form of cancer that occurs in the uterus of women due to abnormal cell growth. This is caused by the uncontrolled genetic mutation. Significantly, there are two types of uterine cancer: endometrial cancer and uterine sarcomas. To know about endometrial cancer, you need to know what is endometrium. The endometrium is the inner lining of your uterus.
Endometrial cancer is the most reported form of uterine cancer that occurs in the inner lining of the uterus out of the 3 layers of uterus. Uterine sarcomas (or myometrium cancer) is rarely observed and occurs in the muscle tissue of the uterus. Since endometrial cancer makes up around 95% of uterine cancers, endometrium and uterine cancers are used synonymously.
On-time diagnosis of uterine cancer symptoms may stop its recurrence. If left untreated, the cancerous cells can spread to the rectum, vagina, bladder, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and then to other organs of the body.
What are the Causes of Uterine Cancer?
Some common uterine cancer causes include:
- Early menstruation cycle
- Late menopause
- Obesity or overweight
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Infertility or ovarian disease
- Abnormal periods
- Family history of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, or uterus cancer
- Red meat, processed food
- High-fat diet
- Hormone replacement therapy
What are the Symptoms of Uterine Cancer?
Watch out for these uterine cancer symptoms to detect the cancerous cell growth at an initial stage:
- Vaginal bleeding or light spotting after menopause
- Vaginal bleeding before menopause. It happens during periods
- Cramping in the pelvis or pelvis pain
- Lower abdominal pain
- Excessive vaginal bleeding when you reach your 40s or above
- White discharge from the vagina after menopause
Uterine Cancer Treatment
Generally, surgery is the first-line treatment that is given to remove the uterus tumor so that its further progression to other healthy organs can be restricted. You will get the hysterectomy surgical treatment to cure endometrial cancer. First of all, your doctor will probably prescribe an endometrial biopsy and other diagnostic tests to detect the stage of your cancer.
Based on the stage of endometrial cancer, you may be recommended any one of the hysterectomy surgery:
1. Vaginal Hysterectomy: It is used for the removal of the uterus through the vagina.
2. Total Abdominal Hysterectomy: It removes the uterus through the incision in the abdomen.
3. Radical Hysterectomy: This surgery is performed when cancerous cells reach the cervix. During this process-
- It removes the uterus and the tissues surrounding the uterus
- The upper part of the vagina is also removed to end the cancerous cervix
4. Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy: During this process, is removed through multiple surgical cuts robotically or through laparoscopy.
Non-surgical Treatments
The surgical treatment of uterine cancer can be paired with the following non-surgical treatments:
- Chemotherapy: In this treatment powerful drugs are used to remove cancerous cells.
- Hormonal Therapy: It is used to break the link between hormones and cancerous cells to prevent the further progression of the disease of uterine cancer.
- Radiation Therapy: Here, strong radiation beams are used to destroy uterine cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy: During this process, the immune system is boosted to fight cancer growth.
- Targeted Therapy: This helps to intake the potent drugs to inhibit DNA mutation.
Prevention of Uterine Cancer
While it's not possible to completely prevent cancer, there are several preventive measures one can follow to reduce the risk:
- Keep your weight within a healthy bracket
- Control your diabetes level
- Avoid intake of hormonal contraceptives without a gynaecologist consultation
- Eat fresh and healthy food instead of processed ones.
Why is Cancer-specific Insurance a Must?
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research - National Cancer Registry Program (ICMR-NCRP), the number of cancer cases will escalate to 15.7 lakh by 2025. These numbers are alarming. And while prevention may not always be certain, being prepared for such a disease is essential.
You need to keep in mind that cancer treatment requires multiple hospitalisations. It comes with recurrent and hefty medical costs that can burden the patient’s mental health and the family’s financial well-being. Hence, it is vital to invest in a cancer-specific insurance plan. Here is why:
- Cancer insurance offers you comprehensive cancer treatment coverage, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cancer medications, diagnostic tests, and others.
- You may be eligible to get cancer coverage for domiciliary hospitalisation, ambulance charges, and alternate treatments (AYUSH).
- It will provide you with financial backup when you have to manage the cancer treatment costs or maybe substitute an income loss.
- The premiums that you pay will qualify you for tax benefits u/S 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
In Conclusion
Cancer can take a serious troll on one’s health as well as finances. The repercussions can be huge that may put the entire family in a serious financial strain. Though your regular health insurance comes in handy in covering multiple health emergencies, the coverage offered may not be sufficient incase of treating cancer.
In such a scenario, a cancer-specific insurance plan comes with extensive coverage that offers easy-claim settlement for surgical intervention, chemotherapy, radiation, medications, and other treatment costs. Opting for Cancer Insurance Plan offered by Care Health Insurance is a proactive approach to safeguarding the entire family’s health, happiness, and prosperity. The policy offers extensive coverage up to INR 1 crores along with multiple amazing benefits including NCB bonus up to 100%, annual health check-ups, global coverage and OPD coverage, air ambulance etc. To be familiar with the policy terms and conditions, kindly connect with our experts or visit the website.
We wish you good health!
>> Also Read: Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Disclaimers: The above information is for reference purposes only. Kindly consult your general physician for verified medical advice. The health insurance benefits are subject to policy terms and conditions. Refer to your policy documents for more information.
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