Uterine Cancer
Treatment in Malaysia
At Onco Life Centre, our team takes a personalized approach to treating uterine cancer. We focus not only on treating the disease, but also on supporting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of our patients every step of the way.
Uterine cancer is the most common cancer occurring in a woman’s reproductive system. There are 2 major types of uterine cancer.
Endometrial adenocarcinoma makes up more than 80% of uterine cancers and develops from cells in the endometrium (hence commonly known as endometrial cancer). Endometrioid carcinoma is a common type of endometrial adenocarcinoma, whilst less common types of uterine cancers include serous, clear cell, and carcinosarcoma.
Sarcoma accounts for about 2% to 4% of uterine cancers and develops from the uterine supporting tissues or the uterine muscle.
Why Choose Onco Life Centre?
Expertise You Can Trust, Innovation You Can Count On
Over 20 Years of
Experience
Our highly-qualified consultant oncologists boast extensive experience treating a vast array of cancers. Their training at prestigious institutions in Australia and the UK ensures exceptional expertise that you can trust.
Collaboration with
Leading Genomics Experts
For complex cases, our oncologists collaborate with leading genomics specialists in the US. This ensures access to the latest treatments for all cancer types.
Unmatched
patient experience
You and your healthcare experience are at the centre of what we do at Onco Life Centre. Our core values of Empathy, Dedication, Professionalism and Service Quality have driven us since our earliest days.
Treatment Methods
Talk to our uterine cancer oncologists at Onco Life Centre about your treatment options. The main treatments for uterine cancer are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and hormone therapy. Often the best approach uses 2 or more of these treatment methods. It is important that you understand the goal of your treatment. If a cure is not possible, treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms such as pain.
Hysterectomy can be simple (removal of the uterus and cervix) or radical (removal of the uterus, cervix, the upper part of the vagina, and nearby tissue). For patients who have been through menopause, the surgeon will typically also perform a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, which is the removal of both fallopian tubes and ovaries.
If the ovaries are removed, this ends the body’s production of sex hormones, resulting in early menopause. However, the adrenal glands and fat tissues will still carry out some sex hormone production.
Lymph node removal at the vicinity of the tumor will determine if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus.
Some women with uterine cancer need radiation therapy after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Radiotherapy options include radiation therapy directed towards the whole pelvis and/or applied only to the vaginal cavity, called vaginal brachytherapy.
The types of systemic therapies used for uterine cancer include Chemotherapy, Hormonal therapy, Targeted therapy and Immunotherapy.
Chemotherapy for uterine cancer is aimed at destroying cancer remaining after surgery or aimed at shrinking the cancer and slowing down the tumor’s growth if it recurs after initial therapy.
Advances in chemotherapy during the last 10 years include the development of new drugs for the prevention and treatment of side effects.
Hormone therapy for uterine cancer is used to slow the growth of grade 1 or 2 tumors uterine adenocarcinomas. The use of aromatase inhibitors will reduce the amount of the hormone estrogen in a woman’s body by stopping tissues other than the ovaries from producing it.
Targeted therapy for uterine cancer targets the cancer’s specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment to block cancer cell growth and spread while limiting damage to healthy cells.
- Anti-angiogenesis therapy is focused on stopping the process of making new blood vessels and “starving” the tumor. It can be used along with immunotherapy to treat some advanced endometrial cancers, typically after at least one other drug treatment has been tried.
- Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors. In endometrial cancer, mutations in mTOR pathway allow women with advanced or recurrent uterine cancer to be treated with a drug that blocks this pathway.
Immunotherapy for uterine cancer is designed to boost the body’s natural defenses to fight the cancer. Immunotherapy is approved by the US-FDA for uterine cancers with DNA mismatch repair defect or high microsatellite instability. PD-1 normally helps keep T cells from attacking other cells in the body (including some cancer cells). By blocking PD-1, these drugs boost the immune response against cancer cells. This can shrink some tumors or slow their growth.
Uterine Cancer Staging
Doctors assign the stage of endometrial cancer using the FIGO system.
Stage 1 Uterine Cancer
The cancer is found only in the uterus or womb, and it has not spread to other parts of the body.
- Stage 1a:The cancer is found only in the endometrium or less than one-half of the myometrium.
- Stage 1b:The tumor has spread to one-half or more of the myometrium.
Stage 2 Uterine Cancer
The tumor has spread from the uterus to the cervix.
Stage 3 Uterine Cancer
The cancer has spread beyond the uterus, but limited to the pelvis.
- Stage 3a:The cancer has spread to the serosa of the uterus and/or the tissue of the fallopian tubes and ovaries but not to other parts of the body.
- Stage 3b:The tumor has spread to the vagina.
- Stage 3c1:The cancer has spread to the regional pelvic lymph nodes.
- Stage 3c2:The cancer has spread to the para-aortic lymph nodes.
Stage 4 Uterine Cancer
The cancer has metastasized to the rectum, bladder, and/or distant organs.
Transparency You Can Trust
At Onco Life Centre, we understand the financial burden associated with Uterine cancer treatment. We are committed to transparency and will provide you with a personalized cost estimate during your initial consultation. Here is an estimate:
Chemotherapy:
At Onco Life Centre, the cost for treating uterine cancer using chemotherapy for most of our patients is around MYR6,000 per cycle.
Targeted Therapy:
Adding in Targeted Therapy can go up from MYR8,000, depending on the specific type of targeted therapy drug used.
Immunotherapy
The cost of uterine cancer immunotherapy can range from MYR10,000 and above depending on the specific type and dosage of immunotherapy drug used.
Genetics and family history
A higher risk for uterine cancers can be inherited and happens about 5% of the time. Lynch syndrome is most commonly associated with inherited uterine cancer and is also associated with colon, kidney, bladder, and ovarian cancers. Lynch syndrome is associated with DNA mismatch repair defect.
People affected by Lynch syndrome can receive increased screening for Lynch-associated cancers. Affected family members may consider preventive surgery for uterine and ovarian cancer.
Symptoms and Signs
- Unusual vaginal bleeding, spotting, or discharge. For premenopausal women, this includes menorrhagia, which is an abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding
- Abnormal results from a Pap Smear Test.
- Pain in the pelvic area
Diagnosis
In addition to a physical examination, the following tests may be used to diagnose uterine cancer.
Pap Smear is done during pelvic examination to look for abnormal glandular cells, which are caused by uterine cancer.
Endometrial biopsy allows removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. This allows a definite diagnosis to be made.
Dilation and curettage is often done in combination with a hysteroscopy so the doctor can view the lining of the uterus during the procedure. After endometrial tissue has been removed, during a biopsy or D&C, the sample is checked for cancer cells.
Computed tomography (CT) scan allows a detailed, 3-dimensional image to exclude any abnormalities or tumors.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of the body.
Your Journey
Start Your Recovery
Our dedicated Patient Navigator will assist you with appointment scheduling. Contact us at +6012-3993260 (Call or Whatsapp ).
First Consultation
On appointment day, bring along all the medical reports and your identity documents, ie. identity card or passport. Our team will help you organize the medical reports for our oncologist to review. Our oncologist will discuss the treatment plan with you. Tele-consult is available for overseas patients.
Treatment Day
Come to our center on an agreed date and time for the treatment. Our team will take good care of you. You will be discharged on the same day. Yes, you will get to go home after every treatment visit as no overnight admission is required.
Stay on Track
Our dedicated patient navigator will be following up with you post treatment to check on your condition, to ensure that you are doing well. You will receive a reminder message on your phone for the next appointment date.
Credentials You Can Trust
Ministry of Health Malaysia
Onco Life Centre is fully licensed as an Oncology Consultation and Treatment Centre (License No: 931401-00214-03/2024)
DR. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE
MBBS (MELB), FELLOW RACP (AUS)
DR. JOSEPH KANIANTHRA JOSEPH
MBBCH, BAO (IRE), MRCP (UK)
I have been coming to OncoLife centre with my mother. She is under the care of Dr Christina since diagnosis and has been on targeted therapy and is doing well. Dr Christina Ng has been guiding my mum through her treatment and is quick to suggest changes if needed. She is also very ready to hear our concerns and will always take our preference into consideration. Communication with the staff is good and we can readily ask them questions at any time. The atmosphere of the clinic is also pleasant which makes waiting around not such a chore. Parking is readily available in the building. Overall, Onco Life is very patient centred and I am very thankful to Dr Christina and her team for the support they have given my mum and the family.
My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer about 6 months ago at a hospital in KL. We were all very scared, worried and felt very lost at the same time. A friend suggested that we seek advice from Dr Christina Ng at Onco Life Centre. During our first consultation, Dr Christina had explained patiently to us that my mother has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and it has spread to her liver and lung. She had suggested for my mother to promptly start on combination chemotherapy. We were initially worried about chemotherapy side effects. Dr Christina had explained to us that she would carefully select drugs which my mother would likely tolerate well. Much to our surprise, my mother was very well & energetic throughout her chemotherapy course. After 3 months of chemotherapy, she did a CT scan which showed a significant reduction in all tumor deposits in pancreas, liver, lungs & peritoneum. We are grateful towards Dr Christina Ng & her Team for giving us a great hope.
My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer more than one year ago. He started treatment at another hospital but his condition worsened and he became fully dependent on oxygen support over 6 months. That was when we became very anxious and worried. We wanted to seek a second opinion and thus found Dr Christina Ng at Onco Life Centre. Dr Christina immediately adjusted his immunotherapy treatment protocol whilst actively treating his worsening infection. After 4 months under the care of Dr Christina, his condition has improved significantly and he is now totally off oxygen support. We are grateful that he is being given a new lease of life.
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