Gynecologic Cancer: What Every Woman Should Know
Rising Death Rate for Endometrial Cancer
Updated on: June 25, 2003
In recent news coverage regarding growing health threats, what hasn’t made the headlines is the rising annual death toll in the U.S. from endometrial cancer.
A recent examination of American Cancer Society (ACS) statistics by members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) has revealed an alarming increase during the last 15 years in the estimated number of American women dying each year from endometrial cancer. During this calendar year, it is estimated that approximately 6,800 women will die from this disease. The death toll in 1988 was approximately 3,000. Adding to SGO members’ alarm about this dramatic increase in annual deaths from this cancer is the fact that the change occurred during a period when the estimated number of new cases of endometrial cancer increased by less than 15 percent. According to ACS data, in 2003, mapproximately 40,100 women in the U.S. will be newly diagnosed with endometrial cancer, the most common form of gynecologic cancer.
"Approximately 90 percent of women diagnosed with uterine can-cer are diagnosed with cancer of the uterine lining or endometrium, hence the name endometrial cancer," said Karl C. Podratz, M.D., PhD., professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Rochester, Minn., and chairman of the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation. "It is disturbing that the estimated annual mortality-to-incidence ratio for endometrial cancer has dramatically increased over the past decade, especially since the disease has clear symptoms and is relatively easy to detect with standard testing."
According to Dr. Podratz, research is underway at a number of institutions to determine the root cause of these alarming new statistics. Until that research reaches some conclusions, however, gynecologic oncologists urge women to learn about the risk factors and symptoms of endometrial cancer, and to seek the expertise of an appropriate physi-cian as soon as symptoms arise.
"Risk factors associated with endometrial cancer include obesity, late menopause, tamoxifen use, diabetes, and hypertension. Unopposed estrogen replacement therapy can also increase a woman’s risk for endometrial cancer," said Dr. Podratz. "The most common warning sign of this cancer is bleeding — specifically, any vaginal bleeding after menopause or irregular vaginal bleeding in pre-menopausal women. Should you experience bleeding of this nature or believe you possess any of the known risk factors for this cancer, contact your physician or a gynecologic oncologist for an immediate and thorough assessment."
According to Podratz, "Manifesting the known symptoms for endometrial cancer is not always indicative of a malignancy. However, it is far better to be properly evaluated and either rule out the possibility of cancer or to detect the cancer early than to dismiss the symptoms as something inconsequential and find out later that was a lethal mistake."
"The fate of women diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer is not sealed," stressed Wesley Fowler, Jr., M.D., former chairman of the GCF and professor and associate chairman of the Department of Ob/Gyn, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill. "Besides involvement of a gynecologic oncologist, education and early detection are the best weapons in the fight against gynecologic cancers. In the case of endometrial cancer, when appropriately evaluated, 70 percent of cases can be diagnosed while the lesion is clinically confined to the uterus. When detected at this early stage, the cure rate for endometrial cancer is greater than 85 percent. That’s why women need to be aware of the symptoms and act promptly to help ensure a cure."
This article by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation originally appeared in an advertising supplement to the New York Times on Sunday, June 22, 2003.
GCF gratefully acknowledges Aventis Oncology for its generous support of this educational supplement. The content of this supplement is the work of many individuals and does not reflect commercial interests.
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