Endometrial cancer treatment at GenesisCare

There are a number of treatment options available for womb cancer they include:

• Surgery – this generally involves the removal of the womb and cervix, and usually both ovaries and fallopian tubes. Sometimes it is necessary to also remove the pelvic lymph nodes. This surgery is normally performed with keyhole surgery (laparoscopic surgery), but may be offered with robotic assisted or traditional open hysterectomy.
• Radiotherapy – high-energy radiation beams are precisely delivered to destroy cancer cells while doing as little harm as possible to healthy cells.
• Chemotherapy – anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs are used to destroy cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy – the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone may be used to affect the growth of cells in the womb lining.

How is womb cancer diagnosed?

You may undergo one or more of the following diagnostic tests if you’re showing signs of womb cancer.

Internal vaginal examination

A doctor will examine you to check for any lumps, swelling or abnormalities in your pelvic area.

Blood test

You might have blood tests to check your general health or help diagnose what is causing any symptoms you have.

 Transvaginal ultrasound scan

A small probe emits sound waves inside the vagina to look at nearby areas such as the womb, womb lining, ovaries and fallopian tubes.

CT, MRI and PET-CT scans

Your doctor may arrange for you to have a CT scan, MRI scan or PET-CT to produce more detailed images of the inside of your body. This helps your doctor know where in the womb the cancer is and check if it’s present in other parts of the body so they’ll be able to recommend the best ways to treat it.

Biopsy

A doctor may remove a small sample of the tissue lining your womb, which is then examined under a microscope for signs of cancer.

Hysteroscopy

A very thin telescope with a light on the end is passed through the vagina and cervix into your womb. This allows a doctor to view images of inside your womb on a screen.

Chest X-ray

You may have a chest X-ray to check your lungs and heart before surgery, or to find out if there is any cancer in your lungs.

Usually, the first sign of womb cancer is unusual vaginal bleeding. This could be:

• bleeding after the menopause (the most common symptom)
• bleeding in between periods
• heavier periods than usual
• a bloody or pink and watery vaginal discharge.

Less common symptoms include pain or discomfort in the pelvic area, pain during sex, and blood in your urine with either a:

• low red blood cell level (anaemia)
• high platelet count (thrombocytosis)
• high blood sugar level.

Please remember having one or more of the above signs and symptoms doesn’t mean you have womb cancer. These symptoms may be caused by other conditions. But if you are concerned about womb cancer, you should speak to your GP to arrange an appointment.

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a modern radiotherapy technique that directs beams of radiation in an arc across the treatment area. Together with surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT), it’s possible to precisely target areas of cancer, adjusting the beam and intensity of the radiation dose, to allow for movements in the body and avoid healthy tissues.

Side effects of radiotherapy can occur when healthy tissues receive radiation, so using this technique helps to limit the dose to tissues and organs surrounding the tumour. At GenesisCare, we offer VMAT wherever possible, because it is widely recognised to be the highest standard of care currently available for patients needing this type of radiotherapy.

We also offer palliative VMAT radiotherapy for those living with advanced womb cancer (stage 4). This type of treatment can help to shrink the cancer and control symptoms. We understand that fast access to palliative care is paramount, so we always do our best to provide treatment within 48 hours of a planning imaging scan.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) uses very focused high-energy radiation beams to treat tumours in five or fewer sessions, and is often used in place of surgery. If you’ve previously had radiotherapy to the pelvis, your consultant may suggest this as an option. This is because stereotactic treatment is so precise it can often mean re-treatment is possible.

Internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy) involves hollow tube applicators being inserted into the vagina which give radiotherapy directly to the top of the vagina. It’s usually given as an inpatient procedure at a hospital.

Our consultant oncologists work closely with cancer specialists from locally and nationally renowned hospitals. So if your consultant recommends that you need internal radiotherapy, they’ll arrange this at one of our partner hospitals and ensure you receive the best possible treatment and care. You can then continue any further treatments at GenesisCare.

No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you before you start your course of radiotherapy. They will also discuss how your treatment plan and supportive care can help to manage or minimise these side effects.

Chemotherapy uses cytotoxic (anti-cancer) drugs to destroy cancer cells.

Your specialist may recommend you have chemotherapy after surgery or radiotherapy to reduce the risk of your cancer coming back.

Hormones are naturally made in the body and help control the growth and activity of cells. The female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone can affect how cells grow in the womb lining.

Your specialist may suggest hormone therapy if you have advanced womb cancer, your womb cancer has come back after treatment, or you cannot have surgery or radiotherapy because of health issues.

The aim of hormonal therapy for womb cancer is to shrink the cancer and control symptoms.

Targeted, also called biological therapies are a specialised group of drugs that are designed to attack or block specific processes in cancer cells that tumours depend on to survive and grow.

If your cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it may be called advanced, metastatic or stage 4 womb cancer. At GenesisCare, you can receive palliative drug treatment for advanced womb cancer to reduce the size and progress of your cancer and ease pain and other symptoms.

For some advanced cancers, we use specialist tests, such as liquid biopsy or genomic testing, to understand the genetic make-up of cancer cells. This helps us to identify which drugs are available to work against specific genetic mutations in a cancer, allowing us to start effective treatment without delay.

There may also be opportunities to access clinical trials for the newest treatments for womb cancer.

No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you before you start your course of chemotherapy. They will also discuss how your treatment plan and supportive care can help to manage or minimise these side effects.

Research has shown that a personalised programme of carefully planned and supported physical activity can enhance the quality of life of cancer patients, limit the impact of cancer by improving strength and reducing fatigue, and ultimately lead to better outcomes.

One of our expert physiotherapists specialising in exercise for people living with cancer will provide you with a tailored 12-week programme supported by our dedicated GenesisCare Exercise Medicine app. The physiotherapist will also work closely with you to monitor changes in your health and support you throughout the programme, helping you achieve the best results. This service is available at selected GenesisCare centres.

Through a unique partnership with the charity Penny Brohn UK, we offer all womb cancer patients access to a wellbeing expert and holistic therapies either in-person or remotely. The therapies you could benefit from include counselling, acupuncture, massage and reflexology.

• Cancer Research UK
• Macmillan Cancer Support
• The Eve Appeal