A doctor may take out the cancer using one of the following operations. Radiation may be used alone or before or after surgery. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by inserting a needle into a vein. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body, and can kill cancer cells outside the uterus.
Hormone therapy is the use of hormones, usually taken by pill, to kill cancer cells.
Treatment By Stage Treatment for cancer of the endometrium depends on the stage of the disease, the type of disease, and the patient's age and overall condition. Standard treatment may be considered based on its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may have more side effects than are desired. Clinical trials are ongoing in most parts of the country for most stages of cancer of the endometrium. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with removal of some of the lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen to see if they contain cancer, followed by radiation therapy to the pelvis.