What to do if you have grade 4 uterine cancer

Stage IV uterine cancer is the advanced stage of uterine cancer, which means that the condition is quite serious. If the patient is in good health, surgery can be performed first. Cancer cells have already broken through the reproductive organs or have exceeded the scope of the pelvic cavity. Stage IV: Cancer cells have already broken through the reproductive organs or have exceeded the scope of the pelvic cavity and directly invaded the rectum or bladder, and even remote metastasis has occurred.

Surgical treatment involves extensive hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node removal. The removal includes the entire uterus, bilateral adnexa, upper vagina and paravaginal tissues, and pelvic lymph nodes (paracervical, obturator, internal iliac, external iliac, and lower common iliac lymph nodes). The surgery must be thorough, safe, and strictly follow the indications to prevent complications.

Surgical complications and their management

1. Surgical complications include intraoperative bleeding, postoperative pelvic infection, lymphocele, retention, urinary tract infection and ureterovaginal fistula.

2. Treatment of surgical complications. In recent years, the incidence of the above complications has been significantly reduced due to improvements in surgical methods and anesthesia techniques, the use of preventive antibiotics, and the use of extraperitoneal negative pressure drainage after surgery.

(2) Radiotherapy is the first choice for cervical cancer and can be applied to all stages of cervical cancer. The radiation range includes the cervix and affected vagina, uterine body, paracervical tissue and pelvic lymph nodes. The irradiation method generally adopts a combination of internal and external irradiation. Internal irradiation is mainly aimed at the primary lesion of the cervix and its adjacent parts, including the uterine body, upper part of the vagina and its adjacent paracervical tissue (point "A"). External irradiation is mainly aimed at the area where pelvic lymph nodes are distributed (point "B"). The internal radiation source uses intracavitary radium (Ra) or 137cesium (137Cs), which is mainly aimed at the primary lesion of the cervix. The external radiation source uses 60 cobalt (60Co), which is mainly aimed at metastatic lesions outside the primary lesion, including the pelvic lymph node drainage area. At present, it is advocated to perform internal irradiation first for early cervical cancer. For advanced cancer, especially those with huge local tumors, active bleeding, or concomitant infection, it is appropriate to perform external irradiation first.

(3) Chemotherapy: So far, cervical cancer is insensitive to most anticancer drugs, and the effectiveness of chemotherapy does not exceed 15%. Patients in the advanced stage can adopt a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc.

(4) Biological therapy: Biological immunotherapy starts with the human immune system, using molecular biology and cell engineering techniques to improve the immune activity of cancer, replenish the body with a sufficient number of functional immune cells and related molecules, stimulate and enhance the body's anti-tumor immune response, increase the sensitivity of cancer to the body's anti-cancer immune effects, and induce cancer-specific and non-specific effector cells in vivo and in vitro, ultimately achieving the goal of eliminating cancer. It has the advantages of safety, high efficiency, and no toxic side effects.

(5) Patients with advanced cervical cancer should pay attention to daily diet. Only when the body functions well and the immune system is strong can the patient resist the development of cancer and tolerate various drug treatments. Improving immune function and enhancing resistance to tumors are crucial for patients with advanced cervical cancer. Provide adequate nutrition and rich vitamins, and carry out nutritional support therapy, so as to achieve the effect of enhancing immune function and improving disease resistance.

Suggestions: Chemotherapy is usually performed after surgery, but the side effects of chemotherapy are relatively large. If chemotherapy is to be performed, it is best to combine it with traditional Chinese medicine to consolidate the treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine is relatively mild and has no side effects. Patients are generally able to accept it. In addition, most cancer patients can reduce pain, prolong life, and improve the quality of life by taking traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine can also reduce toxicity and increase efficacy, improve the body's immunity, and correct the side effects of chemotherapy.