At 67, singer Julie Piétri announces on Instagram that she is suffering from endometrial cancer. A disease that occurs mainly in postmenopausal women. Detected early, this cancer has a good survival prognosis.
[Mis à jour le 1er mars 2023 à 15h18] The singer Julie Pietri announced on his Instagram account February 28, 2023 be reachedendometrial cancer. “I will be operated on March 7th. For that, you know I’m ready to fight even if sometimes my heart is racing and I’m not very well“, explains the singer in video, aged 67 years old, asking for the support of his community throughout his fight against the disease. Endometrial cancer that we also called cancer of the body of the uterus is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system in France with about 8,000 new cases per year compared to 5,000 for ovarian cancer and 3,000 for cervical cancer. It is a cancer that mainly affects women. after menopausewith an average age of diagnosis around 70 years. Unlike cervical cancer, there is no screening for endometrial cancer. There surgery is the standard treatment (total hysterectomy).
What is endometrial cancer?
The uterus, an essential female genital organ for reproduction, can be affected by cancerous tumors, of which two types are distinct: on the one hand, cancer of the cervix which we hear more often about and on the other hand , THE endometrial cancer (also called cancer of the body of the uterus). Endometrium is another name for the uterine lining, layer of cells lining the inside of this cavity (see attached diagram). Most often, endometrial cancers start from a cell in the first layer of the endometrium, theepithelium.
What are the symptoms of endometrial cancer?
In the vast majority of cases, endometrial cancer is discovered:
- in front of metrorrhagiawhich are genital discharge of blood that occurs outside of menstruation. Thus, any bleeding in postmenopausal women should be explored.
- unusual white discharge
- recurrent infections (urinary or gynecological)
- sometimes pain in the lower abdomen.
What is the average age of endometrial cancer?
Endometrial cancer is a cancer of older women, mostly menopausal, between 60 and 70 years old. In France, the average age at diagnosis is 69 years old. There are different types, but the most frequent develops from the glands of the mucous membrane: we speak ofadenocarcinoma. “This cancer affects the postmenopausal women, often obese, because after the menopause, the endometrium remains stimulated by the estrogen contained in the fatty mass without being counterbalanced by the progesterone that the ovaries no longer produce“, specifies Dr. Odile Bagot.
What are the chances of survival?
“Endometrial cancer is good prognosis (relative survival at 5 years = 95%) since it causes early warning signs. Therefore, the diagnosis is made early and the chances of survival are high.”says Dr. Odile Bagot.
Does endometrial cancer hurt your back?
“Endometrial cancer is not associated with back pain”observes Dr. Odile Bagot.
Faced with these evocative signs, a endovaginal ultrasound will be carried out. Then, an examination of the uterine cavity and the endometrium will be possible, via a endometrial biopsy in the office and/or a hysteroscopy, i.e. direct visualization of the inside of the uterus using a mini camera. If lesions are found, which will be the case in cancers, samples or biopsies will be taken to allow histological analysis of the tumour. In the case of cancer, an extension assessment will be necessary, that is to say the search by various examinations for other locations of the cancer by cell migration. “Faced with a postmenopausal and overweight woman, systematic screening for endometrial cancer by regular transvaginal ultrasounds is recommended”, comments the gynecologist. Imaging will help determine the stage and grade of the cancer before surgery. They are defined from the size of the tumor, its location and its possible spread.
What are the different stages of endometrial cancer?
endometrial cancer evolves in four stages :
- Stage 1: the tumor is in the uterus.
- Stage 2: the tumor has spread to the cervix.
- Stage 3: the tumor has spread beyond the uterus and cervix (female genitalia: vagina, ovary, fallopian tube).
- Stage 4: the tumor has spread to other organs like bladder, intestines.
“The stages are all the more serious as the cancer cells penetrate deep into the uterine muscle“, adds the gynecologist.
What treatment to treat endometrial cancer?
The treatment of endometrial cancer will depend on the nature of the tumor and the results of the biopsies but also of those of the extension assessment. Typically in the early stages, a surgical removal of the entire uterus and surrounding structures, tubes and ovarieswill be carried out: we are talking abouttotal hysterectomy enlarged with adnexectomy. Nearby lymph nodes will also be removed. Sometimes part of the vagina will also be removed. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy or brachytherapythat is to say a localized treatment after implantation of a radioactive source, will be envisaged according to the classification criteria of the tumour.
It is not possible to prevent endometrial cancer. “However, it is known that taking the pill significantly reduces the risk (as well as the risk of ovarian cancer). The most important is to fight against obesity which represents the main risk factor for endometrial cancer“, adds the gynecologist.
Thanks to Dr Odile Bagot, gynecologist and author of “Vagin & Cie, we tell you everything!” at Mango editions.