The cancer most common in women is endometrial carcinoma — cancer of the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, there are two types of cancer and median age at which women what are diagnosed with endometrial cancer is 63.
The most common form of cancer of the female reproductive tract in the United States is endometrial carcinoma — cancer of the lining of the uterus, or endometrium. Endometrial cancer accounts for over 95 percent of uterine cancers, which themselves represented approximately six percent of all cancers diagnosed among U.S. women in 2010. It is estimated that 46,470 women will be diagnosed with uterine cancer and that 8,120 will die of this disease in 2011. The median age at which women are diagnosed with endometrial cancer is 63.
Traditionally, women with endometrial cancers have been divided into two groups, depending on the form of cancer they have. Type I tumors are estrogen-dependent, meaning their growth is stimulated by estrogen, like some breast cancers. Usually women with Type I tumors are younger and have a better prognosis. Type II tumors account for 10-20 percent of all spontaneously occurring endometrial cancers (those without a family history). The prognosis for Type II tumors, unfortunately, tends to be poor.
In this article, we discuss the risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options for endometrial cancer. We also go over syndromes that are associated with a higher risk of endometrial cancer, like Lynch syndrome and Cowden syndrome, which also increase one’s risk of other forms of cancer, including breast, ovarian, thyroid, and intestinal. As doctors learn more and more about the genetics and behavior of endometrial cancer, they are better equipped to determine one’s risk of endometrial cancer, diagnose it earlier, and develop more effective means of treatment.
RISK FACTORS
The risk factors for Type I endometrial cancer include obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, taking medications like Tamoxifen (a breast cancer medication), estrogen replacement therapy without… continue reading
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