It is the fourth most common type of malignant cancer in women, following breast cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer, and the first most common type of cancers of the female reproductive system (cervix, ovaries, vulva, vagina etc.)
The endometrium is the inner mucosal layer lining the uterine cavity (inner surface of the uterus, “endometrium”). Endometrial cancer is the malignant transformation of this tissue.
In most cases, it is caused by chronic estrogen dominance on the endometrium and the stimulation of endometrial cells by estrogens.
About one in 40 women will develop this type of malignancy during her lifetime. It is most common in post-menopausal women. Over the last few decades, the incidence of malignancies in women under 40 has been increasing. The cause of this increase is probably multifactorial, e.g. the environment, biological causes, as well as the advanced maternal age in western societies.
Endometrial cancer symptoms include bleeding in post-menopausal women.
Symptoms are more generalized in women of reproductive age, such as increased menstrual flow and/or heavy menstrual flow at frequent intervals in between regular menstrual cycles. Overweight women, especially those experiencing menstrual periods every 3 or more months with heavy menstrual flow (if at all) are also a high-risk group for endometrial hyperplasia. This is a pre-cancerous condition that may precede endometrial cancer by a few years or even decades.
Although common, endometrial cancer prognosis is quite good. One of the reasons is early diagnosis, meaning that treatment is even more effective for most women.
Diagnosed endometrial cancer is treated surgically with total hysterectomy, i.e. complete removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. In case of a more aggressive suspected type and other factors, surgery is complemented by total lymph node dissection, i.e. tissue removal of the pelvis and aorta (lymph nodes) which are a common site for the spreading/metastasis of endometrial cancer in some cases.
This combined approach, i.e. total hysterectomy AND total lymph node dissection is called surgical staging of endometrial cancer in oncology (see section “Gynecologic Oncology Surgery” for more information).
The first surgical staging of endometrial cancer using robotic surgery in Greece was performed in 2009 by Dr. Georgios Hilaris and his team.
Endometrial polyps are small growths, in the inner lining of the uterus and/or cervix.
One in 2 women over the age of 40 will usually develop uterine fibroids.
At least 75% of men and women will be infected at some point in their lives with HPV.