MIRAMAR, Fla. – Researchers have uncovered a new treatment approach for the most common form of uterine cancer in the United States.
Dr. Jacob Tangir, co-founder of the Center For Gynecologic Oncology, said a new study has found that in early-stage and pre-cancerous disease, a progesterone releasing IUD was just as effective as birth control pills at counteracting the high estrogen levels associated with endometrial cancer.
“The pills are very poorly tolerated and often times people didn’t take it, so that didn’t resolve the problem,” he said. “Now there’s an IUD that’s been around for decades that people use to prevent pregnancy that basically releases a small amount of progesterone inside the uterus and that has been shown to work as well as the pills but its much better tolerated.”
Tangir said this treatment option also avoids the need for a hysterectomy, preserving fertility in younger women with early stage disease. The option also avoids surgery for young women who don’t want to undergo a hysterectomy.
Because obesity has been linked to higher estrogen production, weight control can reduce a women’s risk of endometrial cancer.
Melanoma warning
The first Monday of May serves as a reminder about protecting your body from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
The American Academy of Dermatology designated this day Melanoma Monday to raise awareness about the dangers of excessive sun exposure and tanning bed use.
Melanoma accounts for about 1% of all skin cancers in the U.S. but is the cause of the most deaths from the disease, killing an estimated 7,180men and women this year alone