Treatment options. Why does it take so long to find it out?? Through ongoing research, the medications used to treat cancer are constantly being evaluated in different combinations and to treat different cancers. Talking with your doctor is often the best way to learn about the medications you've been prescribed, their purpose, and their potential side effects or interactions. For more information, see Drug Information Resources.
The treatment of uterine cancer depends on the size and location of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread, the grade (how fast the tumor might grow), and the woman's overall health. In many cases, a team of doctors will work with the woman to determine the best treatment plan.
Uterine cancer is treated by one or a combination of treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy.
Surgery
Surgery is the first line of treatment. Depending on the extent of the cancer, the surgeon will perform either a simple hysterectomy (removal of the body of the uterus and cervix) or a radical hysterectomy (removal of the entire uterus). After a hysterectomy, a woman can no longer bear children.
The surgeon also will perform a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both fallopian tubes and ovaries). The surgeon also may remove lymph nodes near the tumor to determine if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus.
After surgery, the woman may remain in the hospital for several days to a week and will probably experience pain and extreme tiredness. If a woman is experiencing pain, her doctor will prescribe appropriate medicine. Other immediate side effects may include nausea and vomiting, as well as difficulty emptying the bladder and having bowel movements. The woman's diet may be restricted to liquids, followed by a gradual return to solid foods.
Removal of the ovaries ends the body's production of sex hormones, resulting in premature menopause. Soon after surgery, the woman is likely to experience menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Women should to talk with their doctors about ways to cope with these side effects.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells. The most common type of radiation treatment is called external-beam radiation therapy, which is radiation given from a machine outside the body.
When radiation treatment is given using implants, it is called internal radiation therapy. Internal radiation therapy is given either by delivering a small amount of radioactive material directly to the tumor. Intraperitoneal radiation therapy is given by injecting radioactive liquid directly into the abdomen through a catheter, a thin tube temporarily put into a large vein to make injections easier.
Side effects from radiation therapy depend on the dosage and the area of the body being treated. Common side effects include tiredness, mild skin reactions (such as dry or reddened skin at the site of radiation treatment), loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, urinary discomfort, and diarrhea. Side effects of internal radiation therapy may include abdominal pain and bowel obstruction. Most side effects usually go away after treatment is finished.
Sometimes, doctors advise their patients not to have sexual intercourse during radiation therapy. Women may resume normal sexual activity within a few weeks after treatment if they feel ready.
Some women with stage I, II, or III uterine cancer need both radiation therapy and surgery. The radiation therapy may take place before surgery, to shrink the tumor, or after, to destroy any cancer cells remaining in the area. For women who cannot have surgery, the doctor may recommend radiation therapy as an alternative.
For more information about radiation therapy, see the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's pamphlet, Radiation Therapy for Gynecologic Cancers.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy travels through the bloodstream to tumor cells throughout the body. The goal of chemotherapy can be to destroy cancer remaining after surgery, slow the tumor's growth, or reduce side effects.
Although chemotherapy can be given orally (by mouth), most drugs used to treat uterine cancer are given intravenously (IV). IV chemotherapy is either injected directly into a vein or through a catheter.
Because chemotherapy affects normal cells as well as cancer cells, many people experience side effects from treatment. Side effects depend on the drug used and the dosage amount. Common side effects include nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, low blood count, bleeding or bruising after minor cuts or injuries, numbness and tingling in the hands or feet, headaches, hair loss, and darkening of the skin and fingernails.
Other potential side effects include the inability to become pregnant and premature menopause. Rarely, certain drugs may cause some hearing loss. Others may cause kidney damage. Patients may be given extra fluid intravenously for kidney protection. Side effects usually go away when treatment is completed.
Advances in chemotherapy during the last 10 years include the development of new drugs for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy side effects, such as antiemetics for nausea and vomiting, and hormones to prevent low white and red blood cell counts.
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy is used to slow the growth of uterine cancer cells. Hormone therapy for uterine cancer involves the sex hormone, progesterone, given in a pill form. It may be used for women who cannot have surgery or radiation therapy.
Side effects of hormonal therapy include fluid retention, increase in appetite, and weight gain. Women in their childbearing years may experience changes in their menstrual cycle.
Treatment options by stage
Stage I
Surgery
Surgery and radiation therapy (as needed)
Hormone therapy
Stage II
Surgery and radiation therapy
Stage III
Surgery and radiation therapy
Surgery and chemotherapy
Stage IV (advanced)
Surgery
Radiation therapy
Hormone therapy
Chemotherapy
Recurrent cancer
Hormone therapy
Chemotherapy
Follow-up care
Follow-up care is essential after treatment. Women should visit their doctors regularly for physical and pelvic examinations and a Pap test. The doctor also may order other tests, including x-rays and laboratory tests.
Recurrent uterine cancer
Recurrent uterine cancer is cancer that has come back after treatment. Approximately 70% of recurrent uterine cancers take place within three years of initial therapy. Some symptoms of recurrent cancer are similar to those experienced when the disease was first diagnosed.
Vaginal bleeding or discharge
Pain in the pelvic area, abdomen, or back of the legs
Difficulty or pain when urinating
Weight loss
Chronic cough
Advanced uterine cancer
Stage IV uterine cancer is the most advanced stage of the disease. The cancer has spread beyond the uterus to the bladder, rectum, lymph nodes of the groin, or other organs, such as the bones or lungs.
Treatment for advanced uterine cancer includes radiation therapy, especially for recurrent cancer in the pelvis. Hormone therapy may be used for cancers that have spread to distant parts of the body. Cancers that are high grade or that do not respond to hormone therapy are treated with chemotherapy.
Women with stage IV uterine cancer may consider participating in clinical trials. New therapies for uterine cancer include experimental combinations of chemotherapy drugs and other treatments. Because these options are untested, their risks must be weighed against their possible benefits.
----Hope this information helps you! :) |
