The common types of treatments used for uterine cancer are described below.

Surgery

During a surgery, the tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue, known as a margin, are removed. It is usually the initial treatment against uterine cancer.

The following are some of the most common uterine cancer surgery procedures:

Hysterectomy : Depending on the degree of the malignancy, the surgeon will perform either a simple hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) or a radical hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, cervix, the upper part of the vagina, and nearby tissues). For menopausal individuals, the surgeon would often conduct a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, which is the removal of both fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Removal of lymph nodes : The surgeon may remove lymph nodes surrounding the tumor during a hysterectomy to evaluate if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus. This can be accomplished by a sentinel lymph node biopsy or lymphadenectomy. A sentinel lymph node biopsy may entail injecting dye into the uterus during the hysterectomy and removing the few lymph nodes where the dye accumulates. In uterine cancer, this surgery has become more prevalent than lymphadenectomy. A lymphadenectomy, also known as lymph node dissection, is a surgical technique that removes a group of lymph nodes.

Radiation therapy

The use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to eliminate cancer cells is known as radiation therapy. Radiation treatment is often used following surgery to kill any leftover cancer cells. To reduce the tumor before surgery, radiation treatment is sometimes used. If surgery is not an option, the doctor may offer radiation therapy instead.

Radiation treatment directed at the whole pelvis and/or delivered solely to the vaginal canal, known as vaginal brachytherapy, are two options for treating uterine cancer. A variety of criteria influence which form of radiation is appropriate, however certain patients with low-risk illness may be able to have vaginal brachytherapy instead of pelvic radiation.

Therapies using medication

Medication used to eliminate cancer cells may be included in the treatment strategy. Medication can be delivered through the bloodstream to cancer cells all throughout the body. Systemic treatment refers to the administration of a medicine in this method.

The types of medications used for uterine cancer include:

• Chemotherapy
• Hormone therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of medications to eradicate cancer cells, often by preventing cancer cells from growing, dividing, and proliferating. Chemotherapy is generally used following surgery for endometrial cancer. If the endometrial cancer returns after the person’s initial treatment, chemotherapy is also recommended.

The purpose of chemotherapy is to somehow eradicate any cancer that remains after surgery or to reduce the disease and prevent its development if it returns or has spread to other places of the body. Although chemotherapy can be administered orally, the majority of medications used to treat uterine cancer are administered intravenously. IV chemotherapy is administered either directly into the vein or via a catheter, which is a thin tube put into the vein.

Hormone therapy

Hormone treatment is used to decrease the development of specific types of uterine cancer cells with hormone receptors. These cancers are often adenocarcinomas of grade 1 or 2.

Hormone treatment for uterine cancer frequently entails taking a high dosage of the sex hormone progesterone in tablet form. Hormone-expressing intrauterine devices (IUDs) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) such as anastrozole (Arimidex), letrozole (Femara), and exemestane (Aromasin) are also often used in the treatment of breast cancer. An AI is a medication that decreases the quantity of estrogen in the body by preventing tissues and organs other than the ovaries from making it.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that targets specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer development and survival. This sort of therapy inhibits cancer cell development and spread while protecting healthy cells.

Uterine cancer targeted therapy is accessible in clinical trials and, in some cases, as part of standard-of-care treatment strategies. Uterine cancer targeted treatment includes:

Angiogenesis inhibition treatment : Anti-angiogenesis treatment aims to halt angiogenesis, or the process of forming new blood vessels.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors : Mutations in the mTOR pathway are frequently detected in endometrial cancer. A medication that disrupts this route may be used to treat people with advanced or recurring uterine cancer.

Targeted therapy to treat a rare type of uterine cancer : Uterine serous carcinoma is an uncommon but deadly kind of endometrial cancer.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy boosts your immune system’s ability to target cancer cells, allowing it to fight cancer naturally. Immunotherapy is more effective in uterine tumors with mismatch repair abnormalities.