With the Canadian Cancer Society reporting that endometrial cancer kills over 1,700 women every year, it’s more important than ever to understand the signs and symptoms of the disease. The cancer, which is also known as uterine cancer, begins in the internal lining of the uterus and can spread to other parts of the body. According to gynecologic oncologist Dr. Lesley Roberts, this type of cancer tends to grow slowly and present at an early stage. She added that endometrial cancer is most commonly diagnosed in postmenopausal women who are experiencing abnormal bleeding. “Most of the time women will stop having their periods entirely, have no more bleeding and then this cancer will present as new bleeding,” she said in an interview with Your Morning Winnipeg on Wednesday. “And that ideally triggers someone to go get assessed by their physician.” Roberts said endometrial cancer is easier to treat if it’s caught early. However, she explained, some women don’t recognize the symptoms or have their symptoms dismissed, which can lead to a later diagnosis. This can create more challenges. “There is no screening for endometrial cancer,” she said. “Again, that’s partially because the vast majority of the time it’s very easily recognized with bleeding that shouldn’t be happening.” For premenopausal women who are still having regular menstrual cycles, Roberts said to watch out for daily or irregular bleeding. Other symptoms for all women include pain during intercourse, abdominal or pelvic cramping, frequent or difficult urination, and changes in your bowel habits. Roberts added the cancer is also associated with aging and being overweight. “If we catch this early, it’s an incredibly treatable and curable cancer,” Roberts said. “And it’s the most common gynecologic cancer that we see. So, we want to make sure that women are aware that this is a cancer that is something you can get.”
