Q. What are the best treatment methods for uterine cancer?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Uterine cancer treatment depends on the stage of the cancer and can include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Surgery is typically recommended for early stages of uterine cancer and may involve a discussion with a gynecologic oncologist. Options may include a simple hysterectomy to remove the uterus or more extensive procedures such as removing lymph nodes in the pelvis (lymphadenectomy) or both ovaries and fallopian tubes (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy).
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill uterine cancer cells. It is usually used after surgery if there is any risk that some of the tumors are still present or if it appears that nearby lymph nodes have been affected by disease. Radiation also may be given before surgery in certain cases when it can help shrink a large tumor to make it easier to remove.
Chemotherapy uses drugs like cisplatin, carboplatin, paclitaxel and doxorubicin to kill cancer cells throughout your body — including cells that might have spread beyond your reproductive organs. Your doctor will recommend chemo based on how advanced your uterine cancer is and where it has spread outside of your uterus if at all.
Hormone therapy involves taking progesterone — either alone or combined with chemotherapy — that blocks estrogen from reaching receptors within endometrial tumors which slows their growth rate down significantly over time as well as prevents recurrence in some cases according to recent studies conducted by National Institutes of Health (NIH). This type of treatment is generally only used when local treatments such as surgery or radiation are not effective options due to advanced age/health conditions etcetera so talk with your medical team about what makes sense for you specifically!