Menance Of Cancer(Gynecological cancer)

I get very emotional, anytime i have to read about  gynecological cancer or other form of cancer because anyone who has lost a loved one to this dreaded disease can relate to the physical and emotional trauma the patients and their loved ones have to pass through. Seeing the pains the cancer patients go through, you wont wish it on your worst enemy.

I registered with foundation for women cancer, and i get their monthly news letter and thus messages from cancer survivors and i keep wishing if only we knew earlier on you could have still been with us, but God knows best. Today we will discuss about uterine cancer( cancer of the womb). In fact,this form of cancer is  the most deadly and painful of all forms of gynecological cancer in women and often goes unnoticed till it is full blown and most times we mistake it  to fibroid(beginin .

Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later. When cancer starts in the uterus, it is called uterine cancer. The uterus is the pear-shaped organ in a woman's pelvis (the area below your stomach and in between your hip bones). The uterus, also called the womb, is where the baby grows when a woman is pregnant. The most common type of uterine cancer is also called endometrial cancer because it forms in the lining of your uterus, called the endometrium.
When uterine cancer is found early, treatment is most effective.
All women are at risk for uterine cancer, but the risk increases with age. Most uterine cancers are found in women who are going through or who have gone through menopause—the time of life when your menstrual periods stop.
Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women around the world and the most commonly diagnosed gynecologic cancer.

Symptoms of this cancer,includes

The most common symptom of uterine cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding. It may start as a watery, blood-streaked flow that gradually contains more blood. After menopause, any vaginal bleeding is abnormal.
These are common symptoms of uterine cancer:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding, spotting, or discharge
• pain during urination
• pain during sex.
• Pain in the pelvic area

These symptoms may be caused by uterine cancer or by other health problems. Women with these symptoms should tell their doctor so that any problem can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible

How is a diagnosis of uterine cancer determined?

If you have symptoms that suggest uterine cancer, your doctor will try to find out what's causing the problems.
You may have a physical exam and blood tests. Also, you may have one or more of the following tests:

• Pelvic scan: Your doctor can check your uterus, vagina, and nearby tissues for any lumps or changes in shape or size.
• Ultra Sound: An ultrasound device uses sound waves that can't be heard by humans. The sound waves make a pattern of echoes as they bounce off organs inside the pelvis. The echoes create a picture of your uterus and nearby tissues. The picture can show a uterine tumor. For a better view of the uterus, the device may be inserted into the vagina (transvaginal ultrasound).
• Biopsy: The removal of tissue to look for cancer cells is a biopsy. A thin tube is inserted through the vagina into your uterus. Your doctor uses gentle scraping and suction to remove samples of tissue. A pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells. In most cases, a biopsy is the only sure way to tell whether cancer is present.

If cancer is found, the pathologist studies tissue samples from the uterus under a microscope to learn the grade of the tumor. The grade tells how much the tumor tissue differs from normal uterine tissue. It may suggest how fast the tumor is likely to grow.
Tumors with higher grades tend to grow faster than those with lower grades. Tumors with higher grades are also more likely to spread. Doctors use tumor grade along with other factors to suggest treatment options.
To know the extent of the cancer or how wide it has spread after the diagnosis,the Doctor or rather an oncologist gynecologist may take the following examinations
Pap Test
MRI Scan
Chest Xray
CT scan
 But in most cases surgery is needed to determine the extent in which the cancer has spread and also the best treatment for this cancer is through surgery(hysterectomy) for more rigorous treatment radiation chemotherapy and Hormone Therapy. The best form of treatment depends mainly on the stage on the cancer. But the best method for averting this disease is prevention and early detection and i will recommend that a routine visit to an oncologist gynecologist who specializes in the treatment of all form of gynecological cancer will be of benefits to us women and a routine pap test is also recommended. For more information on gynecological cancer kindly www.fwc.com

Enjoy your week.

Kathy.