What Causes Uterine Cancer? We’ll Evaluate Your Risk
We understand that sometimes your period may be irregular. It’s one of the more common reasons patients seek our help. Your period provides vital insights into your health. If you are experiencing bleeding between periods or heavy bleeding or discharge that is not normal for you, these could be indicators of an illness.
While there are many reasons for abnormal periods, it can be an early warning sign of uterine cancer, particularly if you also have pelvic pain or pressure. In addition, if you’ve been through menopause and still have your uterus, no amount of bleeding is considered normal.
What causes uterine cancer? And are you at risk? Many of our patients are concerned about their cancer risk, and we want to help you take a proactive role in your health. Therefore, we’ll explore this topic in-depth, examining symptoms, cancer types and most importantly, how you can reduce your risk.
We understand that even considering the possibility of cancer is a terrifying thought. But we want you to realize that we have helped hundreds of area women who faced–and overcame–similar challenges. We’ll always be in your corner, providing support, educational information, and the type of quality, compassionate care you have come to expect from our practice. If you’re having irregular periods, contact us for an appointment.
What Causes Uterine Cancer?
While we don’t know the exact details and research is ongoing, uterine cancer is believed to be caused by changes in cellular DNA found in the uterine lining (endometrium), causing them to grow out of control, forming masses or tumors.
Scientists believe these changes are primarily linked to hormonal imbalances in the body, especially involving estrogen and progestin. An increase in estrogen can create an imbalance that may trigger the development of uterine cancer.
How Can I Reduce the Risk of Uterine Cancer?
First, there isn’t a way to completely prevent you from getting uterine cancer, but there are some things that can help reduce your chances of developing it.
This includes adopting healthy lifestyle choices like eating a nutritious diet, maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular exercise. Being obese increases your risk of having endometrial cancer because extra body fat can cause an imbalance in your body’s hormones. If you have any questions related to nutrition or how you can be healthier, please speak with us! We’ll be happy to ensure you’re on the right track.
Taking birth control pills may help. However, this option isn’t right for everyone. Speak with us about whether or not this would be a good healthcare plan for you.
Consider the risks of hormone replacement therapy. If you’re taking estrogen alone after menopause, you could increase your risk of endometrial cancer (unless you’ve had your uterus removed).
We know many of our patients have questions about the benefits vs. risks of hormone replacement therapy, and we want you to know that we’re here to answer your questions. We promise we’ll always take time to address your concerns. To reduce your risk of uterine cancer, we may recommend taking estrogen and progesterone instead of taking estrogen alone.
What Increases My Risk of Uterine Cancer?
As we mentioned earlier, researchers believe the central cause of uterine cancer may be a hormonal imbalance that increases the amount of estrogen in your system. Therefore, any conditions that increase the amount of estrogen can put you at greater risk.
Risk factors of uterine cancer include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Having irregular ovulation
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Having diabetes
- Taking estrogen-only hormone therapy
- Starting your period before age 12
- Never having a baby
- Being in menopause (endometrial cancers are more common in women after menopause)
- Taking tamoxifen, a type of hormone therapy medicine for breast cancer
In addition, if you’ve inherited a condition like Lynch syndrome, you are at greater risk. If you or a family member has been diagnosed with this illness, please let us know so we can discuss what cancer screenings you may need.
What Are the Early Symptoms of Uterine Cancer?
As we mentioned earlier, the early symptoms of uterine cancer include discharge or bleeding that is not typical for you. Bleeding after menopause is another warning sign.
If you are having any bleeding or discharge that is unusual or irregular, we want to see you. This doesn’t mean that you necessarily have uterine cancer, but it’s important for us to determine the cause. In many cases, we can schedule an appointment within two weeks.
What Are the Two Types of Uterine Cancer?
The most common form of uterine cancer we see is endometrial cancer. The other type of uterine cancer—uterine sarcoma—is rare. In fact, only about 5,000 American women are diagnosed with uterine sarcoma every year. That’s roughly 0.0015% of the U.S. population.
We Can Help Monitor You for Signs of Uterine Cancer
Your health is our priority, and we have demonstrated our reputation for excellence by being frequently recognized as the best women’s health practice in the county. But for us, this is not just an accolade; it represents a tireless dedication to your wellness.
As we mentioned earlier, irregular periods and bleeding don’t always indicate uterine cancer, but they often signal that something is not right. That’s why we encourage you to schedule an appointment. We would love the opportunity to be your medical home.
The content within this article and others on this website is only for educational purposes and should not be considered as medical advice. For any questions or concerns, please consult with your healthcare provider.
Sources:
Breastcancer.org, “Tamoxifen: What to Expect, Side Effects, and More,” https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal-therapy/tamoxifen
Centers for Disease Control, “Uterine Cancer,” https://www.cdc.gov/uterine-cancer/index.html
Mayo Clinic, “Endometrial Cancer,” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometrial-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352461
National Cancer Institute, “Uterine Cancer,” https://www.cancer.gov/types/uterine
Yale Medicine, “Uterine Sarcoma,” https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/uterine-sarcoma#:~:text=Uterine%20sarcoma%20is%20a%20rare,to%20occur%20in%20younger%20women.
