The most common types are gynecological cancer There is no standardized test in the United States, although it has been on the rise in recent years.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about 66,200 women in the United States will be diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2023, and about 13,000 will die from it.
“While cancer cases overall are trending downward, uterine cancer is one of the few cancers that is trending upward,” said Bryan, director of Gynecologic Oncology and co-chair of the Cancer Research Panel. Dr. Slomovitz said.At Mount Sinai Medical Center miami beach, floridasaid in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“We expect that uterine cancer deaths in the United States will soon surpass ovarian cancer deaths,” he added.
To raise awareness, the International Society for Gynecologic Cancer announced the first-ever Uterine Cancer Awareness Month in June.
Dr. Brian Slomovitz is director of the Gynecologic Oncology Division at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida, and co-chair of the Cancer Research Board. He also chairs the Uterine Cancer Awareness Month initiative. (Mount Sinai Medical Center)
Slomovitz, who also chairs the Uterine Cancer Awareness Month initiative, spoke to Fox News Digital about the current state of uterine cancer and what women need to know.
What is the difference between endometrial cancer and endometrial cancer?
The terms “uterine cancer” and “endometrial cancer” are often used interchangeably, but there are differences, Dr. Slomovitz said.
Most of these types of cancers form in the outer and inner lining of the uterus, known as the endometrium. Hence the term “endometrial cancer”.
About 4% to 5% of cancers originate in the muscles of the uterus. These are known as uterine sarcomas.
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“Sarcoma is a progressive disease with a very high mortality rate,” Slomovitz explained. “But they all fit into the uterine cancer category.”
greatest risk factor of all
Obesity is This is the biggest risk factor for uterine cancer, Slomovitz said.
“Adipose tissue increases the amount of estrogen in the body, but endometrial cancer is hyperestrogen,” he explained. “It stimulates the endometrium, causing uncontrolled growth into cancer.”
“Some groundbreaking research is emerging in an effort to meet this unmet need to help patients live longer,” said Dr. Slomovitz (published here). (Mount Sinai Medical Center)
The ACS website states that overweight women (BMI between 25 and 29.9) have twice the risk of developing uterine cancer compared to women of healthy weight.
Obese women (BMI over 30) have three times the risk.
people with diabetesThose closely associated with obesity are also at higher risk.
Obesity and age are two of the greatest risk factors for uterine cancer.
A less common risk factor is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can cause the ovaries to enlarge and form cysts.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) website, PCOS can lead to elevated estrogen levels and decreased progesterone levels, which can increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
Some genetic syndromes can predispose women to uterine cancer.
Dr. Slomovitz has worked in the field of gynecologic oncology for over 20 years. He currently serves as director of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and co-chairs the Cancer Research Committee at the Mount He Medical Center in Miami Beach. (Mount Sinai Medical Center)
“One of them was Lynch Syndrome, which was often associated with the following symptoms: colorectal cancer‘ said Slomovitz.
“We know that half of the women who develop cancer due to Lynch syndrome will develop endometrial cancer.”
Age is also a risk factor, doctors said, as most patients are diagnosed in their 50s and 60s.
“The increase in cases may be due to obesity, but life expectancy is also increasing,” he said. ”Older people getClearly, you are more likely to get endometrial cancer. ”
symptoms and tests
Other cancers have specific recommended screenings. mammography for breast cancer According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no presymptomatic screening for uterine cancer.
The Pap smear (Pap test) checks for: cervical cancer It detects precancerous cells in the cervix but does not screen for uterine cancer.
Cervical cancer: what are the signs and symptoms?
According to Slomovirz, the most common sign or symptom of uterine cancer is irregular bleeding.
“Most women with cervical cancer experience postmenopausal bleeding as an early sign or symptom, but not everyone does,” she said.
Premenopausal women may have more difficulty determining what constitutes “abnormal” bleeding, doctors noted.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 66,200 women in the United States will be diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2023, and approximately 13,000 women will die from it. (St. Petersburg)
“You shouldn’t just blame it on changes in your menstrual cycle,” he says.
With no formal screening process, Slomovitz stressed the need to recognize symptoms and take prompt action.
“Patients need to be better educated to see a doctor as soon as they have symptoms,” he told Fox News Digital.
“We need to better educate patients to see a doctor sooner.”
In addition to bleeding, symptoms such as pelvic pain and pelvic pressure may also appear.
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“We always tell people to come to the hospital if their symptoms are getting worse or if they persist after 10-14 days. please see a doctor Just to make sure everything is okay,” Slomovitz said.
“We are still seeing a large number of patients diagnosed with progressive and recurrent disease.”
“Patients need to be better educated to seek immediate medical attention if they have symptoms,” Slomovitz said. (St. Petersburg)
Slomovitz said the diagnostic process usually begins with an ultrasound to get an image of the uterus, followed by a tissue biopsy to diagnose or rule out the disease.
For advanced cancer, patients usually have additional tests such as chest x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans to determine if the disease has spread.
“It traditionally spreads through the lymphatic system, which means it can cause enlarged lymph nodes,” Slomovitz explained. “It can also spread to the liver and lungs via the blood system.”
“80% of women are cured with a hysterectomy.”
For patients who have had endometrial cancer in the past, gynecologic oncologists advise that future presentations should rule out recurrent cancer.
“They are cancer patients, so even if their symptoms are nonspecific, it’s worth seeing an oncologist to make sure they haven’t come back,” Dr. Slomovitz said.
Treatment Options: An “Unmet Need”
One of the first steps for women diagnosed with uterine cancer is usually a hysterectomy, which removes the uterus.
“80% of women are cured with a hysterectomy,” Slomovitz said.
To further minimize risk, medical professionals often also sample lymph nodes to make sure the cancer hasn’t spread, doctors said.
“However, an additional 20% of patients with progressive or recurrent disease require systemic therapy,” he said. “We need better treatment options for uterine cancer.”
Systemic therapy for these advanced cases is chemotherapy or hormone therapy using progesterone to slow tumor growth.
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Professor Slomovitz said several groundbreaking studies this year have shown that immunotherapy can be used as a first-line treatment for disease.
Immunotherapy treatments work by helping the immune system slow, stop, or destroy cancer cells.proven to be effective in lung canceroral cancer, melanoma, the doctor pointed out.
Symptoms of uterine cancer include irregular bleeding and pelvic pain. (St. Petersburg)
At the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in May 2023, researchers presented promising results for a new class of drugs called antibody-drug conjugates (ADCS), which are targeted therapies for treating cancer, Slomovitz said. rice field.
Medical professionals are striving to “fill this unmet need in order to prolong the lives of patients.”
Future studies will continue to explore this class of targeted drugs.
“One of my career goals is to use immunotherapy and targeted therapies to eliminate the need for chemotherapy and its associated toxicity and side effects,” Slomovitz said.
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Another “breakthrough” advance that Slomovitz is particularly excited about is the molecular classification of uterine cancer into four different subtypes. This allows for more precise and individualized treatment options.
“We are in a very exciting time,” he said. “Several groundbreaking research has been published in an effort to meet this unmet need for patients to live longer.”
