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Endometrial Cancer Causes

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Endometrial cancer refers to the cancer of endometrium. This cancer takes place only in women and occurs when the cancerous cells or malignant cells starts to develop uncontrollably in the lining of the uterus (endometrium). Uterus is a female reproductive organ which is located at the pelvis girdle. This organ is meant for pregnancy and devolvement of fetus. In order to treat this disease, one need to know the endometrial cancer causes.

Process of endometrial cancer:

Endometrial cancer is also called as uterine cancer and is one of the common cancers among women. Most cases with this type of cancer are due to adenocarcinoma. This is another type of cancer which encourages the development of cancerous cells in the endometrium. In normal case, the endometrium cells of the uterus stop diving and multiplying when they get old or damaged. These cells are replaced by the new and healthy cells. In case if the old and damaged cells continues to multiply, they can be considered as a part of abnormal growth. If this abnormal growth of old cells is uncontrollable, it gives rise to the endometrial cancer.

Risk factors allied with the growth of endometrial cancer cells:

After wide advancement in technology, it is difficult to find out the main cause of endometrial cancer. But there are some known risk factors which promotes the growth of this disease. A risk factor can also be termed as cause, which has the potential to increase the rate of disease. Different types of cancers have different causes, for example, smoking is a risk factor for many cancers such as lung caner, breast cancer, stomach cancer etc. Long exposure to sunlight without any exposure causes skin cancer.

Risk factors can be of two types:

  1. Risk factors that can be avoided (smoking, diet, chronic exposure to sunlight etc)
  2. Risk factors that cannot be avoided (age and race)

In some cases, it is observed that a patient is associated with several risk factors but still do not get a disease, while in other cases, it is observed that there are no risk factors still the person may show the signs of endometrial cancer. Even if a woman with this cancer has some risk factors, it is difficult to understand which one leads to be a part of cancer.

The accurate source of the development of endometrial cancer is unidentified, but extreme exposure to the hormone estrogen is considered to be one of the major causes.

  • Preferring estrogen replacement therapy of uterine cancer without the presence of progesterone is the major risk factors for the growth of cancerous cells in the endometrium.

  • There are some more risk factors such as infertility and obesity that plays a vital role in the development of endometrial cancer. In both these conditions, the level of estrogen in woman's body is increased.

  • Other risk factor involves diabetes, hypertension, and menopause after the age of 50 years and beginning of menstrual periods before the age of 12 years.

  • Use of drug tamoxifen as a part of the treatment of breast cancer or having a history of endometrial polyps elevates the chances of endometrial cancer.

  • Use of radiation therapy in the pelvis areas increases the risk of this type if cancer.

  • In a family, if the sister, mother or daughter of a woman has undergone or experiencing endometrial cancer, then she is at high risk of developing it in her endometrial. Also, if any woman in the family has undergone colorectal cancer, then it can be inherited in the form of uterine cancer or endometrial cancer.

Women in the age group of 50 to 70 are observed to be more prone to this cancer.

List of major Endometrial Cancer causes:

  • Age over 50 years
  • Hypertension
  • Beginning of menstrual cycle before age of 12 years
  • Endometrial hyperplasia
  • Infertility or having no children
  • Late menopause (after age of 50 years)
  • Certain tumors in ovary
  • Estrogen replacement treatment
  • PCOS
  • Obesity
  • Radiation therapy in pelvic area
  • Colorectal cancer( can be in the inherited form)
  • Use of Tamoxifen - drug treatment for breast cancer
  • Race - it is more seen in some particular races.

In order to get the right treatment, understanding the endometrial cancer causes is essential, since your doctor will detect the cause and treat you as per it.

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