Recently, a hospital in Zhejiang successively received two women with endometrial cancer, and the doctor learned after detailed inquiry that their cancer was closely related to the unauthorized use of estrogen-containing skin care products.
Weng Qiao, deputy director of the administrative department of gynecology and deputy chief physician of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, told reporters that it is not uncommon for cases of adverse consequences caused by unauthorized supplementation of estrogen. She reminded that although estrogen plays an important role in maintaining women's normal physiological posture, whether it is deficiency or excess, it will cause damage to the body, and it cannot be linked to "looking young". If there is a pathological situation that really needs to be supplemented, it should also be used in a standardized and safe manner under the guidance of a professional doctor.
In order to "look young", the two women took the initiative to take estrogen supplements
According to reports, Ms. Zhu, a citizen of Zhejiang, is 46 years old this year, but her skin and body are younger than her peers, and she is proud of her maintenance results. However, in recent months, Ms. Zhu has found that the length of menstruation is a little wrong, it used to be 4 days, but now it has become 7-10 days, and this time it has lasted for nearly half a month. At the visit, B-ultrasound showed that Ms. Zhu's endometrium was thick and had a mass. Follow-up examinations revealed that Ms. Zhu had endometrial cancer.
Ms. Zhu told the doctor whether she had taken estrogen skin care products or medicines, and Ms. Zhu said that she had heard from friends that after the age of 35, women's hormone levels would decline and their appearance would age. Supplementing with estrogen can prolong youth 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, another patient, 57-year-old Sister Ma and Ms. Zhu, were in a similar situation. Sister Ma, who has been postmenopausal for more than 5 years, has recently had continuous unexplained bleeding. After hysteroscopy, she was also diagnosed with endometrial cancer. And Sister Ma also bought skin care products containing estrogen and took them for about 4 years.
More than enough is too much!
Both the breast and uterus may be affected by incorrect "supplementation".
"In this way, because of their blind supplementation of estrogen, some cases of adverse consequences have occurred from time to time. Weng Qiao, deputy director of the administrative department of gynecology and deputy chief physician of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, said in an interview with reporters that any hormone supplement has side effects that cannot be ignored.
"Excessive estrogen supplementation may stimulate breast hyperplasia, cause breast nodules, uterine fibroids, and endometrial hyperplasia, and even induce carcinogenesis to a certain extent, that is, endometrial cancer. Director Weng Qiao explained that not only that, in addition to increasing the incidence of breast and uterine lesions, taking estrogen skin care products without authorization will also affect the function of liver, kidneys and other organs.
As we all know, estrogen plays an important role in maintaining women's normal physiology, such as ovarian function, endometrial function, skin, body shape, etc. But now it is regarded by some people as a "elixir" for "eternal youth", which is obviously a bit hasty. Director Weng Qiao pointed out that the main function of the ovaries is to secrete estrogen and progesterone, and with the increase of age, the metabolism of estrogen and progesterone may undergo some changes.
Experts emphasize that it only makes sense to supplement when there is a pathological situation that really requires artificial estrogen supplementation, and it is worth noting that estrogen supplementation is not associated with "youth". "A woman's normal ovaries secrete estrogen, which is enough for the body's normal needs. Unless in the case of some pathology, estrogen is insufficient, it is necessary to supplement exogenously. Director Weng Qiao introduced that the pathological conditions include women of childbearing age due to the lack of endogenous estrogen resulting in endometrial non-growth, menstrual disorders, infertility, etc., or perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with indications for hormone replacement therapy can be reversed or treated by supplementing exogenous hormones under the guidance of professional doctors.
These tests also need to be completed before estrogen supplementation!
It is not difficult to see that estrogen is a "double-edged sword", whether it is deficiency or excess, it will cause damage to the body. Director Weng Qiao reminded that even if some patients need to supplement estrogen, they need to be closely monitored at any time during the supplementation process. Before supplementing estrogen, it is also necessary to check the overall physical condition, "including breast examination, endometrial examination, liver and kidney function examination, etc., to see whether it is really an indication, and to exclude contraindications to hormone replacement therapy, such as thrombotic diseases, hormone-dependent malignant tumors, abnormal liver and kidney function, serious immune system diseases, etc." "At the same time, in hormone therapy, adverse reactions such as unexpected bleeding, breast tenderness, and lower abdominal distension may also be the use of inappropriate doses or dosage forms. By gradually adjusting the medication under the guidance of a doctor, these adverse effects will naturally improve.
The reporter noticed that for a long time, there are still many people who think that food supplements with estrogen are better, such as soy milk, royal jelly, etc., are "on the list" of estrogen food supplements. According to experts, soybeans and other plants do contain phytoestrogens - soy isoflavones, but its estrogenic effect is much weaker than the natural estrogen in our body, and the efficiency is very low. Royal jelly does contain estrogen, but 100g of royal jelly only contains 0.8μg of estrogen, so relying on royal jelly to supplement estrogen is far from enough. This also means that relying on food to supplement estrogen is not reliable.
The incidence of endometrial cancer is increasing year by year, pay attention to these "signals"
Cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer are the three major malignant tumors in female gynecology. Li Dake, director of Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, said bluntly in an interview with reporters that in China, the incidence of endometrial cancer is on the rise and has jumped to the second place. "For example, in developed countries such as Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea, the incidence of endometrial cancer is the first. ”
Director Li Dake introduced that there are several types of endometrial cancer. At the beginning of this century, European scholars divided it into type I and type II. Among them, hormone-related type I endometrial cancer accounts for 80%-90% of the disease, "that is, these people have long-term estrogen stimulation, but at the same time lack progesterone resistance." ”
The reporter learned that normal women have estrogen secretion in the first half of each menstrual period, but after the development of the corpus luteum in the second half, there is progesterone secretion. This also means that, in a normal menstrual cycle, there is estrogen before and progesterone after. "In this case, instead of increasing the incidence of endometrial cancer, it will reduce the incidence of endometrial cancer. Experts point out that some people, such as pubertal hemodisintegration, polycystic ovary syndrome, perimenopause, etc., are likely to become a "catalyst" for endometrial cancer due to the lack of regular progesterone against estrogen, and the continuous stimulation of estrogen. "For example, in perimenopausal women, there are fewer good follicles, and the rest are not very well developed, and the state of the whole body is not so good, so often there is estrogen but lack of progesterone at this time," explained Director Li Dake.
Experts remind that irregular vaginal bleeding is one of the main symptoms of endometrial cancer, and there is generally a small or moderate amount of bleeding, but it is easy to be overlooked. In addition, the "signals" of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women also include persistent or intermittent bleeding, some with a small amount of bloody discharge. Vaginal bleeding, white discharge or a small amount of bloody vaginal discharge and, if infected, may be accompanied by odor. At the same time, bleeding or infection caused by cancer can stimulate uterine contractions, which may also cause labor pain in the lower abdomen. These "signals" deserve special attention, especially for high-risk groups.
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.
Yangtze Evening News/Purple Cow News reporter Lu Yanlin
Proofread by Faye Wong