Diagnosis of uterine cancer

Endometrial cancer is most often diagnosed after a woman visits a doctor with characteristic symptoms (swelling, suspicious genital discharge, constant fatigue, high fever). In this case, the specialist conducts a physical examination and examines the medical history, as well as asks about the presence of a hereditary predisposition. At the next stage, more accurate methods of diagnosing cervical cancer are prescribed.

How to diagnose cervical cancer: Ultrasound scan

Ultrasound is often one of the first tests used to examine the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. To make the images clearer, the bladder must be full during ultrasound.

Transvaginal ultrasound is preferred for examination of the uterus. A probe is inserted into the vagina, which helps to see a tumor (in this case, the diagnosis of uterine fibroids is possible) or a thickening of the endometrium, which may be a sign of cancer. Ultrasound also helps to find out if cancerous tissue is growing into the muscle layer of the uterus.

A sonar infusion sonogram is an ultrasound with the injection of saline solution into the uterus. This procedure helps doctors identify the area where a biopsy should be performed.

How to diagnose cervical cancer: biopsy

In order to carry out a qualitative diagnosis of cervical cancer in the early stages, it is necessary to study the composition of cancer cells. A tumor sample can be obtained by endometrial biopsy or dilation and curettage using a hysteroscope.

In the case of a biopsy in the diagnosis of cervical cancer, a very thin flexible tube is inserted through the cervix. Then, using a suction instrument, the doctor removes a small amount of endometrium through a tube. As part of a hysteroscopy, the doctor inserts a tiny telescope into the uterus through the cervix to see the tumor and remove part of it with high precision.

During the examination of the tissue sample, the classification of cervical cancer into stages from 1 to 4 is used. If there are signs of the last stage of uterine cancer, tests are prescribed to look for metastases throughout the body.

How to Diagnose Cervical Cancer: Whole Body Imaging Tests

First, a fluorography is prescribed to check if the cancer has spread to the lungs. CT scans provide detailed cross-sectional images of the entire body. MRI is especially useful when looking for metastases in the spinal cord and brain. A special MRI scan, which uses contrast with iron oxide particles, also helps to find enlarged lymph nodes.

In the PET test, the patient is injected with radioactive glucose, which is concentrated in cancer cells throughout the body. The procedure helps to identify even tiny tumors.  A more accurate method of diagnosing uterine fibroids at the stage of metastasis is PET-CT, which gives the coordinates of each cluster. If there is a suspicion that the cancer has spread to the bladder and intestines, cystoscopy and proctoscopy are performed.

Cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment centers also perform a special blood test for the presence of CA-125. It is a substance released into the bloodstream by many, but not all, cancers of the uterus and ovaries. If a woman has endometrial cancer, a high level of CA-125 in the blood indicates that the tumor has spread beyond the uterus.