What to Know About Treatment Choices for Uterine Sarcoma
Uterine sarcomas are often diagnosed in advanced stages when the cancer has already spread. This can make treatment hard. Researchers always look for new ways to treat these cancers. And treatment that works for one type of sarcoma may not work for the next.
The choices that make sense for treatment depend on these factors.
- Type, grade, and stage of the sarcoma
- Results of other tests
- Your overall health
- Your personal needs, goals, and considerations
Finding out all you can about your disease and treatment choices can help you make confident decisions about your care. You’re likely to have many questions. For instance, you may want to know how you’ll feel after a particular treatment. You may want to know if you’ll have to change your daily activities. Your doctor is the best person to answer your questions.
Your doctor may recommend a specific treatment. Or he or she may offer you a choice of which one you’d like to follow. Making these decisions can be hard. Think about the possible risks and benefits of each treatment. Ask your doctor and other healthcare professionals about any questions and concerns you have about your treatment options. Ask how the treatment will change your daily life, including your diet, and how you will look and feel after treatment. Ask how successful the treatment is expected to be, and what its risks and side effects may be. Take the time you need to make the best decision for you.
Doctors are finding new ways to treat uterine cancer. These new methods are tested in clinical trials. If you are diagnosed with uterine sarcoma, remember that such sarcomas are very rare tumors. Consider getting an appointment with an expert in sarcomas. Also talk with your doctor about available clinical trials for sarcoma treatment you should consider.
Types of Treatment for Uterine Sarcoma
Treatment for uterine cancer is either local or systemic. Local treatments remove, destroy, or control cancer cells in one area. Surgery and radiation are local treatments.
Systemic treatments destroy or control cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy and hormone therapy are systemic treatments. You may have just one treatment. Or you may have a combination of treatments. The general types of treatment for endometrial cancer and uterine cancer are the same. Their goals, order, and intensity may change based on the specific type and stage of cancer you have.
Local Treatments for Uterine Cancer
Surgery and radiation therapy are 2 local treatments for uterine cancer. They both work to remove the tumor from the uterus.
Surgery. The goal of surgery is to completely remove the tumor from your body. With uterine cancer, this generally means that your entire uterus must be removed. Usually, the fallopian tubes and ovaries are also removed. Some of the lymph nodes surrounding your uterus may be removed to check for cancer cells.
Radiation therapy. Radiation is also called radiotherapy. The goal is to kill cancer cells using radiation such as that found in X-rays. Radiation therapy may be used by itself to kill all the cells of a tumor. It may also be used before surgery to shrink a tumor or after surgery to get rid of any remaining cancer cells. You may get radiation to your pelvic area or only to your vagina.
Systemic Treatments for Uterine Cancer
Hormone therapy and chemotherapy are systemic treatments for uterine cancer. They both work to kill cancer cells or prevent new ones from growing anywhere in your body.
Hormone therapy. The goal of hormone therapy is to stop cancer cells from growing. Cancer cells need certain hormones to grow. Drugs can reduce the production of these hormones. Drugs can also block these hormones from working in cancer cells.
Chemotherapy. The goal of chemotherapy is to kill cancer cells throughout your body. This can reduce the chance that the cancer will spread to other parts of your body. Or it can kill cells that have been found outside your uterus.
Questions to Ask About Treatment for Uterine Sarcoma
The information you receive about treatment options may seem overwhelming at first. You can ease the stress by giving yourself time to gather as much information as possible about your disease and its treatment. That way, you can discuss the issues with your doctors, nurses, and loved ones.
You may find it helpful to make a list of your questions before seeing your doctor. Use the list below as a starting place for questions you might ask. To make it easier to remember what the doctor says, take notes during meetings with your doctor. Or ask if you can use a tape recorder. It may also help to have a family member or friend with you to take part in discussion, to take notes, or just to listen.
- What treatment do you think is best for me?
- What is the success rate of this particular treatment for my type, grade, and stage of cancer?
- Will I be able to keep my ovaries?
- Will I still be able to have children?
- If I have surgery, how long will it take to recover? Will it change how my body looks, feels, and works?
- Can I take my other medicines during treatment?
- What is the length of the treatment?
- How long will each treatment take?
- Where do I have to go for the treatment?
- Who is involved in giving me the treatment?
- Does someone need to go with me during treatments?
- How will I feel after the treatment?
- What side effects can I expect to have?
- How long will side effects last?
- Are there side effects that I need to call you about?
- What can I do to ease the side effects?
- Will I be able to go to work and be around my family?
- Should I change my diet? What foods can’t I eat?
- Are there any clinical trials I should look into?
- Are there support groups nearby that I can talk to?
- What kind of follow-up care will I need?
