"I used to eat skin care products to look younger, but I didn't expect to get cancer. Recently, Ms. Zhu, 46, in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, was diagnosed with cancer, and she regretted it.
Guan Yutao, deputy chief physician of the Department of Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, recently received two women with endometrial cancer. Their cancer is closely related to the unauthorized use of estrogen-containing skin care products. He hopes to remind female friends not to take hormone skin care products and drugs without authorization in order to retain their youth, otherwise they may have to pay a heavy price.
After taking estrogen skin care products for 4 years, he was diagnosed with endometrial cancer
Ms. Zhu is a fashionable sister, with younger skin and body than her peers. She has always been proud of her results.
This month, Ms. Zhu came to Guan Yutao's outpatient clinic in the hope of regulating menstruation. For several months, Ms. Zhu's menstrual period became longer. It used to take only about 4 days, but it slowly developed into 7-10 days, but this time it has lasted for nearly half a month and it has not ended.
Ultrasound showed that the endometrium was thick and had a mass. Follow-up tests revealed that Ms. Zhu had endometrial cancer.
When asked if she had taken estrogen skin care products or medicines, Ms. Zhu's face changed. She said that since four years ago, she has heard from friends that after the age of 35, women's hormone levels will decline and their appearance will also age. Supplementing with estrogen can prolong youthfulness and make the skin more elastic, which is much more effective than skin care products. So, she bought this health supplement from a friend and insisted on taking it every day, and has been taking it for 4 years.
Coincidentally, recently, in Guan Yutao's outpatient clinic, 57-year-old Sister Ma was also diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Sister Ma has been menopausal for more than 5 years, and recently had continuous unexplained bleeding before coming to the doctor. Ultrasound showed that the endometrium was 3 mm and there was no thickening.
"Some doctors may not do follow-up examinations anymore," Guan said. I was still guided by clinical symptoms, and suggested that she undergo another hysteroscopy, and took a specimen and sent it for pathological diagnosis. Finally, he was also diagnosed with endometrial cancer. ”
Sister Ma said that after menopause, she felt that her skin elasticity had deteriorated and the signs of aging were obvious. So, I bought a skin care product containing estrogen and took it on the recommendation of others, and I have been eating it for about 4 years. Originally, I thought the effect was not bad, and it seemed to be younger than my peers, but I didn't expect it to cause such a disaster.
Misuse of estrogen can easily cause lesions
Dr. Guan Yutao said that it is not uncommon for patients like these two eldest sisters to take estrogen skin care products or drugs on their own in order to retain their youth, resulting in endometrial cancer.
"Although taking estrogen-containing skin care products is not the only cause of endometrial cancer, the two are very closely related. According to the doctor, in the mainland, the incidence of endometrial cancer is also increasing year by year, and is currently second only to cervical cancer and second among malignant tumors of the female reproductive system. Between 80% and 90% of cases of endometrial cancer are estrogen-dependent.
Long-term use of a single estrogen may stimulate continued endometrial hyperplasia, which increases the risk of endometrial cancer. Doctors say it's similar to adding fertilizer to a crop field, which causes weeds to grow endlessly, and tumors are like weeds in the body that are frantically replicating and growing.
In addition, from a clinical point of view, taking estrogen skin care products without authorization will not only increase the incidence of endometrial cancer, but also affect the function of the liver, kidneys and other organs.
What is endometrial cancer?
Endometrial cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the endometrium, and is one of the three major tumors of the female reproductive system, accounting for 20%-30% of the tumors of the female reproductive system.
- There are two types of endometrial cancer
Type I: estrogen-dependent, mostly occurs in premenopausal or perimenopausal women, with early staging and slow progression. It is mainly endometrial adenocarcinoma.
Type II: non-estrogen-dependent, mostly occurs after menopause, poorly differentiated and aggressive. Including plasma breast cancer, clear cell carcinoma, adenosquamous cell carcinoma, etc.
Endometrial carcinoma symptoms
1. Irregular vaginal bleeding. This is one of the main symptoms of endometrial cancer, and it is also the most obvious, usually with light or moderate bleeding. Many women tend to ignore that it is menstrual blood, which is caused by irregular menstruation. In addition, endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women also includes persistent or intermittent bleeding, some with a small amount of bloody discharge.
2. Vaginal bleeding, white discharge or a small amount of bloody leucorrhoea, if infected, it may also be accompanied by odor.
3. Bleeding or infection caused by cancer stimulates uterine contractions, which can also lead to bursts of pain in the lower abdomen.
4. There is a lumpy foreign body in the abdomen, and there is pain when occasionally touched. Long-term wasting can lead to wasting. Fever and other symptoms.
Risk factors for endometrial cancer
1. Obesity, hypertension and diabetes: these three factors are often associated with the incidence of endometrial cancer, also known as endometrial cancer triad. Excess body weight of 15% of the standard body weight increases the incidence threefold. Although young people are less likely to develop the disease, if they are too obese, the risk of endometrial cancer increases.
2. Early menarche and late menopause: women with late menopause have anovulatory menstruation in the last few years of menstruation, so they lack progesterone antagonism, and the stimulation time of estrogen is prolonged.
3. Infertility: Pregnancy can reduce the incidence of endometrial cancer to a certain extent.
4. Ovarian tumors: such as ovarian granulosa cell tumor, ovarian membranous cell tumor, etc., will produce higher levels of estrogen, thereby increasing the incidence of endometrial cancer.
5. Genetic factors: family history of endometrial cancer.
6. Unhealthy lifestyle: drinking, smoking and other unhealthy lifestyles.
Dangers of endometrial cancer
1. Endocrine disorders. Endometrial cancer patients will have endocrine disorders, coupled with the long-term stimulation of the endometrium by estrogen, which will continue to thicken the endometrium and increase the probability of cell deterioration. The cause of the disease in such patients is often related to the problems of the ovaries, so hormonal tumors will be produced. Some patients have problems with ovulation due to polycystic ovary syndrome, early amenorrhea, endocrine changes, and too many hormones in the body, all of which can induce endometrial cancer.
2. Various side effects caused by long-term medication. In order to treat the disease, patients have to take the same type of hormone drugs for a long time, and there is no progestogen-type drug to cooperate, and the side effects will become more and more serious, causing harm to the patient's health.
3. Complications. After the disease, the patient's body is overweight, accompanied by many diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and it can also cause infertility in non-pregnant women. Therefore, patients with endometrial cancer should be treated in time for other complications while treating the disease.
How to prevent endometrial cancer?
1. High-risk groups can be screened once a year.
2. Healthy lifestyle. Reduce your intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods and avoid tobacco and alcohol.
3. Pay more attention to abnormal vaginal bleeding, especially perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
4. Use estrogen preparations correctly under the guidance of a physician, and do not abuse drugs and health products containing estrogen by yourself.
5. Strengthen physical exercise and improve self-immunity. Exercise can improve the functional status of hormones and their receptors in the body, and the incidence of endometrial cancer will also be reduced.
Early detection of endometrial cancer and standardized treatment are essential to improve prognosis. Therefore, women who experience discomfort such as vaginal bleeding, menstrual disorders, prolonged menstruation, vaginal discharge, and lower abdominal pain after menopause should seek medical attention in time. For patients who have been diagnosed with endometrial cancer, there is no need to talk about "cancer" discoloration, and the prognosis can be improved through active treatment and close follow-up, maintaining a good attitude, and enhancing autoimmunity.
2024
China Women's Daily, China Women's Movement
Source/China News Service, Ningbo Evening News, Healthy Nantong, Healthy Beijing, etc. Editors-in-charge/Tian Yuan Huang Die, Chen Xiaobing review/Yifan producer/Zhifei
