Endometrial Cancer Prevention

I wish I could tell you that there is a simple way to totally prevent endometrial cancer. Unfortunately, that is not the case. We can't really prevent endometrial cancer, but there are certain steps that we can take that will reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.

Amazingly enough, using oral contraceptives seems to reduce the risk of endometrial cancer. The longer a woman takes oral contraceptives, the lower the rate of developing endometrial cancer becomes. It also appears that this protection provided by oral contraceptives keeps right on
being effective for about 10 years after the woman ceases taking the oral contraceptives.

*A note: The choice of birth control should not be based solely upon endometrial cancer risk. There are other factors that women should also consider. Openly discussing birth control options with one's physician is recommended.

Endometrial cancer risks can be lowered by avoiding known risk factors for developing all kinds of cancers. Smoking cigarettes, for example, is a known risk factor for developing cancer. An unhealthy diet that contains a great deal of saturated fats and food preservatives is also a known risk factor for developing cancer. A sedentary lifestyle is conducive for the development of cancer as is obesity. Basically...

* Eat a healthy diet

* Exercise regularly

* Maintain an optimal body weight

* Don't smoke cigarettes

For some women, both during and post menopause, HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) is a good choice, but not for all women. It is known that HRT does lower the risk of developing endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women. However, there are other risk factors to consider when making the decision to use hormone replacement therapy. For example, doctors now know that HRT INCREASES the risk of breast cancer. The best idea is to discuss all of the possibilities and options with your doctor.