How is uterine cancer diagnosed? What are its symptoms?
Georgia P., Massachusetts, USA: The signs of endometrial cancer are usually abnormal bleeding, often heavy, especially after menopause. Diagnosis is confirmed by endometrial biopsy, a procedure which removes tissue from the lining of the uterus for analysis. This is a painful procedure for many, because an instrument must be introduced into the uterus itself. However, it is quick, and done during an office visit. Doctors usually recommend taking several pain relievers (I prefer Aleve®) to help with the discomfort, and another good idea is to take a sanitary pad, since there can be bleeding after the biopsy. Once the cancer is diagnosed, staging is completed during surgery, and can be downgraded or upgraded based on the surgical results. CT scans and MRIs are also used to determine if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus, prior to surgery. Sue D., Pennsylvania, USA: I was having what seemed like extremely irregular periods. In fact, there was no pattern to them at all. Sometimes it w
