Endometrial Cancer killed Dixie Carter. What is it?

Endometrial cancer killed actress/singer Dixie Carter, age 70. Her shocking death this weekend has a lot of women searching the web to find out more about this disease.

Here's what we found out:

Endometrial cancer, one of the most common cancers in American women, begins in the lining of the uterus -- a hollow, pear-shaped pelvic organ. Endometrial cancer is sometimes called uterine cancer, but there are other cells in the uterus that can become cancerous -- such as muscle or myometrial cells. These form much less common cancers called sarcomas.

Endometrial cancer is often detected early because it frequently produces vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods or after menopause. If endometrial cancer is discovered early, removing the uterus surgically often eliminates the cancer.

Endometrial cancer is rare in women under the age of 40. Most cases are in women past child-bearing age, 50 and over, with more than half of all endometrial cancer cases diagnosed in the 50 to 69 age group.

The average chance of a woman being diagnosed with this cancer during her lifetime is about one in 40.

The 5-year relative survival ratefor endometrial cancer is is about 83%. Most of these cancers are found at an early stage, which has a 5-year survival rate of over 95%.

What are the symptoms?

Any bleeding after menopause
Prolonged periods or bleeding between periods
An abnormal, nonbloody discharge from your vagina
Pelvic pain
Pain during intercourse
Unintended weight loss
When to see a doctor

 Because endometrial cancer is most curable the earlier it's detected, see your doctor if you experience any of those signs

Many of the same symptoms may be associated with noncancerous (benign) conditions, such as vaginal infections, uterine fibroids or uterine polyps. But it's very important to bring them to the attention of your doctor.

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Photo credits: Getty Images