Uterine cancer is a very serious condition that should not be neglected. Seeking medical help and talking to your general practitioner if you believe that you have any uterine cancer symptoms is the smartest measure to take. Yes, there may be occasions that uterine cancer symptoms can result from some other problem nonetheless; it is always better safe than sorry.
Probably the most common of all the uterine cancer symptoms would be the unusual bleeding of the vagina at the start of menopausal stage.
Here are some other uterine cancer symptoms you should be aware of:
. White milk-like and watery vaginal discharge that may sometimes be accompanied with traces of blood
. Painful and difficult urination
. Painful sexual intercourse
. Pain in the pelvic region
. Abnormal growth in the pelvic region
. Significant 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 prompted by certain predisposing factors. Those predisposing factors are the following:
. Being over 50 years old
. Uterine cancer had been shown to be more prevalent among Caucasians
. A history of endometrial hyperplasia
. Having high blood pressure
. Having a hereditary form of colorectal cancer
. Having diabetes
. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use
. Using Tamoxifen
. Being exposed to estrogen for a long 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 takes place when the uterus’ lining, also known as the endometrium, builds up and sets out to shed periodically. This shedding is commonly known as menstrual bleeding. On the other hand, in a woman that has uterine cancer, the builds up of endometrium stays permanently in the uterus and does not shed off. Endometrial hyperplasia then takes place where in there are increased amount of cells in the uterine walls. When this occurs, this would be considered as the “pre-cancer” stage as the cells continuously increase in numbers and go unmanageable. These fast producing cells are actually the cancer cells.
Cancerous cells increase in a fast-paced manner as they form a mass of tissue. This would explain the unusual bleeding as most of the tissue mass invades the uterus through the vagina and cervix. The unusual bleeding happens in 85% of postmenopausal females who are diagnosed with endometrial cancer.
When the endometrial cancer is ignored and left untreated, the growth of cancerous cells can travel to the deep layers of connective tissues around the uterus. The cancer cells can spread into the pelvic lymph nodes along with other pelvic organs seeing that this cancer advances. The advanced stage of uterine cancer can metastasize passing from the lymph nodes to various parts of the body such as the vagina, lungs, bones, brain and liver.
The stage of the cancer has the most important impact on the effectiveness of uterine cancer treatment. The cancer stage is one thing 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.
Ryan Bradshaw 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 .