Uterine Cancer

Treatment

Surgery is the most common approach to treating uterine cancer. Additional therapy to destroy uterine cancer cells may include radiation, cancer-killing drugs (chemotherapy) and hormone therapy.

• Surgery. During exploratory surgery, doctors who specialize in tissue study (pathologists) examine the cancer tissue so your surgeon can determine how much tissue to remove. In most cases, your surgeon will recommend a hysterectomy (removal of your uterus) or a complete hysterectomy (removal of your uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries). To find out whether your cancer has spread, your surgeon also removes tissue from the lymph nodes near the uterus and other abdominal sites.

• Radiation therapy. Radiation (high-level X-rays) kills microscopic cancer cells that may remain after surgery. If you have an aggressive form of uterine cancer or are at high risk for recurrence, you may need radiation after surgery. Occasionally, your doctor may recommend radiation instead of surgery if the tumor can't be removed safely.

  You may receive external beam radiation or brachytherapy. If you receive external radiation, your doctor may recommend intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to decrease damage to nearby healthy tissue.

• Hormone therapy. Your doctor may recommend progestin (synthetic progesterone) to help stop the cancer from spreading. You may take progestin with other medications.
• Chemotherapy. In chemotherapy, drugs given by mouth or intravenously (through a vein) destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy after removal of your tumor may improve treatment success if you have advanced endometrial cancer.

After you've completed your treatment, your doctor will provide follow-up care that includes physical exams, pelvic exams, Pap smears, chest X-rays and laboratory tests.