Surgery to lower endometrial cancer risk
This section covers the following topics:
- Expert guidelines
- Removal of the ovaries and tubes during risk-reducing hysterectomy
- Hysterectomy during risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy
- Vaginal or open surgery
- Surgical risks
- Recovery
Hysterectomy is surgery to remove the uterus to treat or prevent disease. Hysterectomy may be used to treat endometrial cancer. “Prophylactic hysterectomy” or "risk-reducing hysterectomy" refers to the removal of the healthy uterus to reduce a person's risk of developing cancer. Often the cervix is also removed during this surgery. Research on hysterectomy in high risk women has shown that:
- hysterectomy is an effective way to lower the risk for endometrial cancer
- hysterectomy does not increase how long women survive
Surgery can have risks and side effects. It's important for people to speak with experts in order to learn as much as possible about their endometrial cancer risk and to make an informed decision about the best option for lowering their risk.
Expert guidelines on hysterectomy for high-risk women
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), is an organization of cancer experts that creates guidelines on cancer care and updates them yearly. NCCN's guidelines discuss the benefits and limitations for risk-reducing hysterectomy in women with an inherited mutation linked to endometrial cancer and which women are most likely to benefit from the surgery. The NCCN guidelines include "consider risk-reducing hysterectomy" for women who have completed their childbearing and who have an inherited mutations in the following genes:
Removal of the ovaries and tubes during risk-reducing hysterectomy
In addition to their increased risk for endometrial cancer, women with mutations in the following genes are also at increased risk for ovarian cancer:
Experts recommend that women with mutations in these genes consider risk-reducing removal of their ovaries and (also known as salpingo-oophorectomy) after childbearing is complete and at the time of risk-reducing hysterectomy.
Hysterectomy during risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy
Some women who have increased risk for ovarian cancer may choose to remove their uterus at the same time that they undergo risk-reducing removal of their ovaries and . This includes women with inherited mutations in the following genes:
You can read more about the benefits and risks of this decision in our section on surgery to lower and ovarian cancer risk.
Vaginal or open surgery
Hysterectomy may be performed using an incision through the vagina (known as vaginal hysterectomy) or through an incision in the lower abdomen (known as laparotomy).
- Open surgery (also known as a laparotomy) involves one incision in the lower abdomen to remove the uterus.
- vaginal surgery involves an incision from the vagina into the pelvic area to remove the uterus. This surgery requires a shorter recovery time than open surgery. Most risk-reducing surgeries can be performed vaginally.
Surgical risks
Every surgery has potential risks; some are more serious than others. Some hysterectomy risks can affect recovery.
- Infection
- Delayed healing
- Blood loss
- Blood clots
- Pain (post-operative and long term pain syndromes)
- Injury to internal organs
- Bladder incontinence
- Sexual side effects
It is important for people to discuss possible surgical risks with a surgeon to understand the seriousness and likelihood of these risks before making the decision to have risk-reducing surgery.
Recovery
Average recovery time after hysterectomy is about 1-2 weeks.
Gynecologists are experts who specialize in the female reproductive system. They also perform screening for reproductive cancers, including ovarian, endometrial and cervical. Not all gynecologists are experts in screening for cancers in high-risk people. If you already have a gynecologist, ask how many patients with your mutation they care for, and what risk-management guidelines they follow. Gynecologic oncologists are experts in treatment or prevention of cancers of the female reproductive system.
- The Foundation for Women's Cancer has a search tool to help you find a gynecologic oncologist. .
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers deliver cutting-edge cancer care to patients in communities across the United States. Most centers have specialized screening and prevention centers for high risk people. Find a center near you and learn about its specific research capabilities, programs, and initiatives.
- Register for the FORCE Message Boards to get referrals from other members. Once you register, you can post on the Find a Specialist board to connect with other people who share your situation.
updated: 12/21/2022
FORCE offers many peer support programs for people with inherited mutations.
- Our Message Boards allow people to connect with others who share their situation. Once registered, you can post on the Diagnosed With Cancer board to connect with other people who have been diagnosed.
- Our Peer Navigation Program will match you with a volunteer who shares your mutation and situation.
- Our moderated, private Facebook group allows you to connect with other community members 24/7.
- Check out our virtual and in-person support meeting calendar.
- Join one of our Zoom community group meetings.
updated: 08/06/2022