Endometrial Cancer: Treatment Choices

There are various treatment choices for endometrial cancer. What may work best for you depends on a number of factors. These include the location and stage of the cancer. Factors also include your age, overall health, and what side effects you'll find acceptable. The good news is that endometrial cancer can often be cured.

You may have questions and concerns about your treatment options. You may also want to know how you'll feel and function during and after treatment, and if you'll have to change your normal activities.

Your doctor is the best person to answer your questions. They can tell you what your treatment choices are, how successful they're expected to be, and what the risks and side effects are. Your doctor may advise a specific treatment. Or they may offer more than one and ask you to decide which you'd like to use. It can be hard to make this decision. It's important to take the time you need to make the best decision. Get any questions answered and learn as much as you can so you can make the decision that feels right for you.

Treatment can often cure endometrial cancer. It usually includes surgery. This is done to remove the uterus and the cancer in it.

Treatment options include:

• Surgery. Surgery is used to remove the uterus and the cervix. This is called a hysterectomy. It's the most common treatment for endometrial cancer. In most cases, the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and nearby lymph nodes are removed as well. If the cancer has spread from the uterus to nearby tissues, these tissues may be removed. This may include part of the vagina, bladder, or parts of the intestines.
• Radiation therapy. This treatment kills cancer cells with high-energy X-rays. Radiation may be used after surgery to kill any cancer cells that may have been missed.
• Chemotherapy. This treatment uses one or more medicines to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors. They work by attacking cells that grow fast. Chemo may be given after surgery if the cancer is a type that tends to come back. It may also be used along with radiation in women who can't have surgery.
• Hormone therapy. Medicines can be used to keep hormones from being made. Or they can stop them from helping cancer cells grow. Hormone therapy may be used in women who can't have surgery or radiation. Or it may be used in women who have endometrial cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It can also be used to treat the cancer without taking out the uterus in women who may want to have children in the future.
• Immunotherapy. These medicines help your immune system fight the cancer. It may be used along with chemo in women who have more advanced stages of endometrial cancer.
• Targeted therapy. Targeted therapy medicines target changes in cancer cells that help cancer grow.

Your doctor may advise that you have more than one of these types of treatment. This is also known as combination therapy.

Newer types of treatment may be available only through a research study. These studies are called clinical trials. Talk with your doctor about what clinical trials may be an option for you. The National Cancer Institute at www.clinicaltrials.gov can help you and your doctor find suitable trials.

Deciding on the best plan may take some time. At first, thinking about treatment options may feel overwhelming. Talk with your care team. Make a list of questions. Consider the benefits and possible side effects of each option. Talk with your doctor about how much time you can take to explore your options. You may want to get another opinion before deciding on your treatment plan. In fact, some insurance companies may require a second opinion. In addition, you may want to include your family and friends in this process.