Does endometrial cancer require chemotherapy?

Written by Xu Xiao Ming

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Updated on April 20, 2025

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Whether chemotherapy is needed for endometrial cancer depends on its clinical stage. If it is advanced endometrial cancer, such as stage IV, chemotherapy is necessary for these patients. Recurrent endometrial cancer also requires chemotherapy. In the case of early-stage endometrial cancer, surgery can be used. The purpose of the surgery is to stage the pathology of the cancer to determine the extent of endometrial cancer infiltration. After the surgery, it will be assessed whether chemotherapy is needed. Therefore, whether chemotherapy is needed for endometrial cancer depends on the surgical staging. Some endometrial cancers may require not only chemotherapy but also radiotherapy treatment.

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Written by Shen Li Wen

Obstetrics and Gynecology

1min 2sec

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Is surgery necessary for endometrial cancer?

When a woman suffers from endometrial cancer, the primary treatment method is surgery, but there are some special circumstances. For example, if the lesion in the woman is relatively minor, it is atypical hyperplasia, which is a precancerous condition, or it is in the late stage of the disease, or in cases of recurrent endometrial cancer. At this time, treatment can be administered using progestogen drugs, applying high-dose long-term oral intake of effective progestogens, which can suppress the cancerous transformation of the endometrial lining and inhibit the further proliferation of cancer cells. Generally, it involves continuous oral administration for 12 weeks, which is three months, followed by a diagnostic curettage to evaluate the therapeutic effects of the drug. In addition, radiation therapy can also be considered.

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Written by Xu Xiao Ming

Obstetrics and Gynecology

57sec

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How is endometrial cancer diagnosed?

If it concerns endometrial cancer, postmenopausal vaginal bleeding and menstrual disorders during the menopausal transition should prompt an exclusion of endometrial cancer. The most common and valuable method for diagnosing endometrial cancer is through pathological examination results, especially via fractional curettage. The advantage of fractional curettage is that it can differentiate between endometrial cancer and cervical adenocarcinoma, and it can clarify whether the cervical canal is involved, providing a basis for formulating treatment plans. In addition, endometrial cancer can also be assessed using a B-mode ultrasound, but this is only used to provide reference values for clinical diagnosis and management. Another method is hysteroscopy, which allows direct observation of the uterine cavity and cervical canal for any lesions, and tissue can also be collected for biopsy, which is also a very good method.

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Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

41sec

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Can endometrial cancer patients become pregnant?

After the occurrence of endometrial cancer, it is not possible to become pregnant. This is because, after pregnancy, a woman's immunity decreases, and her resistance to illness declines. This will affect the woman's health and may exacerbate the condition of endometrial cancer. Additionally, women with endometrial cancer, even if they become pregnant, may experience miscarriages as the embryo cannot develop normally, and even many harmful symptoms might occur, affecting the woman's health. Therefore, women with endometrial cancer should take contraceptive measures to prevent unintended pregnancies.

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Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

58sec

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Late-stage symptoms of endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer is a common malignant tumor in the female reproductive system. In advanced stages, patients often experience irregular vaginal bleeding. In addition, there may be bloody discharge from the vagina. If an infection is present or there are signs of necrosis due to the cancer, there may also be purulent discharge or other foul odors. Additionally, there are more apparent symptoms such as pain, abdominal masses, and in late stages, the cancer may invade blood vessels, causing swelling in the lower limbs, or spread to nearby organs, such as the ureters, leading to renal damage. Over time, this can also lead to cachexia, fever, and other signs of systemic failure.

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Written by Shen Li Wen

Obstetrics and Gynecology

1min 7sec

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How is endometrial cancer detected?

When women experience irregular vaginal bleeding, or vaginal bleeding reoccurs after menopause, and uterine endometrial cancer is suspected, the first step is to conduct a routine gynecological examination to identify whether the bleeding originates from the uterine cavity or the cervix. Additionally, an ultrasound examination can be conducted to observe the condition inside the uterine cavity, the thickness of the endometrium, whether the thickness is uniform, and whether there are any abnormal growths, to understand whether the woman might have uterine endometrial cancer. However, these methods usually cannot provide a diagnosis and only serve to assess or suggest the possibility of endometrial cancer. For a definitive diagnosis, a hysteroscopy or diagnostic curettage can be performed, and the results of the pathological examination can confirm the diagnosis.