nce a month the lining of the uterus grows thick, preparing itself for the attachment of a fertilized egg that may allow for a woman of childbearing age to become pregnant. When a fertilized egg does not attach itself, the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus) sheds a thick discharge of blood that finds passage through the vagina where it leaves the body. A process more commonly known as menstruation.
In the uterus of a woman there are two layers of tissue: the endometrium, and the myometrium (the outer layer of muscle). The endometrium like many other organs in the body is prone to cancer, where once diagnosed must be treated. There are various treatments a patient can be offered for this type of cancer, depending on the type and staging of the cancer at the time of diagnosis. Treatments may be given either on their own, or combined, and may include:
1. Chemotherapy - Is usually used with a combination of two or more chemotherapeutic drugs (agents), typically: six courses of Paclitaxel (Taxol) 175mg/m(2) together with Carboplatin 7AUC, or Paclitaxel 175mg/m(2) together with Cisplatin 75mg/m(2) and Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) 40 mg/m(2). For carcinosarcoma, the drug Ifosfamide may be considered.
The side-effects of chemotherapy usually include: nausea and vomiting, the loss of appetite, hair loss, and mouth and vaginal sores, together with damaging the blood-producing cells of bone marrow which may result in a low blood cell count. However, most of the side-effects of chemotherapy tend to stop when the treatment has finished.
2. Radiation Therapy - Is a treatment that may be offered to a patient before surgery so as to try to shrink the tumor or after surgery to kill off any cancerous cells that may have been left behind. It is also a favored treatment for women who for one reason or another may not be able to have surgery preformed, where it may be used both internally, or externally.
3. Hormone Therapy - Progestins is a common hormone treatment used for endometrial cancer which uses the female hormone Progestin to fight cancerous cells by slowing their growth. Tamoxifen, a common breast cancer drug is also used to stop the estrogen in the body from encouraging the growth of cancerous cells. Estrogen is the main sex hormone in women that is essential for the menstruation and reproduction process. Another widely used hormone therapy is Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GNRH) which helps to lower the levels of estrogen. Other hormone therapies that may be used are with the use of a class of drugs called Aromatase Inhibitors which are mainly used in patients after surgery which also lowers the levels of estrogen.
Philip Albert Edmonds-Hunt was born in the County of Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom. A well travelled man who today lives in Mexico with his family. He works as a Freelance Writer, Researcher and English Teacher, spending much of his time researching and writing about cancer with the hope that his writings may benefit other cancer sufferers. If you feel that you have benefited from reading one of his articles; please recommend them to other cancer sufferers who may also benefit. If you are interested in reading more about cancer in general, check out: http://www.cancercry.com
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