Irregular menstruation and hot and dry periods were taken as menopause. Doctors were shocked after an ultrasound: Endometrial cancer was in stage 2
Endometrial cancer comes to your door? It is more dangerous not to have children and to eat sweets
Women who love sweets should be aware that eating sweets is not only easy to gain weight, but also increases the risk of “endometrial cancer”? Dr. Zheng Chengjie, executive director of Taipei Xiu Chuan Hospital and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Kaohsiung Medical University, pointed out that the main risk factors for endometrial cancer are infertility, too few children, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, diabetes, etc. Excessive Consuming sweets does increase the risk of obesity and endometrial cancer.
“In outpatient clinics, we often see middle-aged women who are overweight and have abnormal bleeding. If they have not given birth to children, there is a high chance that they have endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial cancer!”
Dr. Zheng Chengjie pointed out that the normal menstrual cycle of women is 28 days, the luteal phase is fixed at 14 days, and the menstrual period plus the follicular phase is about 14 days. During the follicular phase, female hormones stimulate the growth of the endometrium. When the menstrual cycle lengthens to 90 days, the menstrual period is still only 5 days long, and the remaining 71 days are in the proliferative phase. The endometrium is heavily stimulated by female hormones for a long time, thus increasing the chance of endometrial cancer.
The incidence of endometrial cancer has doubled! Doctors urge to reduce sugar, lose weight and have children early
In the past, endometrial cancer mostly occurred in people aged 5 to 60 years old, but now the proportion of patients aged 3 to 40 years old has increased significantly. In the past decade or so, the incidence of endometrial cancer in Taiwan has doubled, which is closely related to women’s late marriage, too few children, and obesity. Dr. Zheng Chengjie explained that during pregnancy, a woman’s body is in a period of high temperature and will secrete progesterone to protect the uterus. If she breastfeeds and suspends menstruation after delivery, the risk of endometrial cancer can be reduced even more.
“There are many cases where the fetus saves the mother, because a large amount of progesterone is secreted during pregnancy for up to 10 months, which can prevent the endometrial hyperplasia or early endometrial cancer recurrence before pregnancy, so the fetus can Save mom. I have also been calling for the country to expand subsidies for in vitro fertilization so that more women are willing to have children, and at the same time let the uterus and ovaries have a good rest. I often say that to prevent endometrial cancer, in addition to reducing sugar, weight, Exercise, it’s better to have children as soon as possible!”
Dr. Zheng Chengjie said that studies have found that diabetes will increase the risk of endometrial cancer, and many people with diabetes have obesity problems. Polycystic ovaries can also be considered a reproductive manifestation of metabolic syndrome. In fact, obesity has been linked to 13 types of cancer, endometrial cancer being one of them.
What are the symptoms of endometrial cancer? Is surgery necessary?
What are the symptoms of endometrial cancer? Dr. Zheng Chengjie pointed out that the three main symptoms are abnormal menstruation (heavy menstrual flow, too long menstrual period), non-menstrual bleeding and abnormal bleeding after menopause. Women can compare their previous menstrual flow. If they find that the frequency or menstrual blood volume increases after 2-3 months, they should seek medical examination as soon as possible to see if there is endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial cancer.
Dr. Zheng Chengjie said that patients with early-stage endometrial cancer or “atypical complex endometrial hyperplasia” can receive progesterone drug treatment without having to remove the uterus. A 27-year-old young woman once underwent an ultrasound examination due to abnormal bleeding, and accidentally discovered a 1-centimeter polyp in the uterine cavity. The biopsy confirmed that it was endometrial cancer. Fortunately, the tumor type, stage of diagnosis, and cell differentiation were in good condition. Treatment with progesterone resulted in good results, and surgery to remove the uterus was avoided.
As long as it is detected and treated early, the prognosis of endometrial cancer is relatively good. Dr. Zheng Chengjie explained that the 5-year survival rate of endometrial cancer in the early stage is about 90%, and the survival rate in the late stage is nearly 20 to 30%. Treatment depends on the stage. In the first stage, surgery is the main treatment; in the second stage, radiotherapy is added; in the third and fourth stages, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are added.
“The earlier endometrial cancer is detected, the better the prognosis is. Especially if you have irregular menstruation for a period of time, you should see an obstetrician and gynecologist as soon as possible!” Dr. Zheng Chengjie gave an example. A 46-year-old female patient had abnormal menstrual periods and then Combined with symptoms such as fever, sweating, palpitations, and insomnia, he was treated as menopausal. Finally, he was found to have a vaginal ultrasound examination and found that the endometrium was very thick. After an endometrial scraping examination, he was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. During this period, in addition to surgery, radiation therapy is required.
How to prevent endometrial cancer? Does taking birth control pills regularly help?
Dr. Zheng Chengjie reminded that obesity will increase subcutaneous adipose tissue, causing hormonal secretion disorders, and more likely to increase the risk of endometrial cancer. Women should try to maintain a BMI between 18.5 and 24, and no more than 27 at most. Once you have morbid obesity, it is best to seek external help to lose weight, such as consulting a nutrition clinic or attending fitness coaching classes. It is also recommended to develop a regular exercise habit.
In addition, if women have no need for fertility for the time being, they may consider using birth control pills regularly. Dr. Zheng Chengjie explained that contraceptive pills include estrogen, progesterone and other ingredients, which can help restore regular menstruation. Birth control pills for polycystic ovary syndrome can also improve appearance problems such as acne. Especially for women whose menstruation only occurs once every 2 or 3 months, it is strongly recommended to use birth control pills regularly. In addition to regulating menstruation, it can also reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.
Further reading:
Is Gastroesophageal Reflux Compressed by Uterine Fibroids? A famous gynecological doctor revealed: If you have this kind of constitution, you should take less Chinese and Western medicines and royal jelly
