Uterine Cancer Treatment

At Winship, we use advanced diagnostic testing and have expert pathologists and radiologists who analyze testing results to understand your particular cancer at every level. This allows our gynecologic cancer experts to tailor a uterine cancer treatment plan just for you.

Once your personalized uterine cancer treatment plan is created, your team of experts will discuss it with you and answer all your questions. Then, treatment can be scheduled right away at Winship. Even if you decide to stay closer to home for your care, we will work with you and your doctors closely to monitor your progress. Our goal is to ensure you get your cancer treated the way it needs to be, wherever that is.

At Winship, we have all the necessary therapy options available to treat your uterine cancer. Based on your unique diagnosis, those treatments may include:

Surgery

Most uterine cancers are first treated with hysterectomy, or surgical removal of the uterus and cervix. When it comes to cancer surgery, you want the most experienced physicians taking care of you, and Winship gynecologic oncologists treat more uterine cancers per year than any other cancer center in Georgia.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy, the use of high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells, is a uterine cancer treatment that may be used to kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery. It also may be used in lieu of surgery if a patient is not well enough to undergo a surgical procedure. If radiation therapy is part of your uterine cancer treatment plan, it should be performed by an experienced radiation oncologist. Winship’s gynecologic cancer team includes radiation oncologists who specialize in uterine cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy

This treatment involves the use of medication to attack cancer cells throughout the body.  Chemotherapy might be recommended after surgery to ensure cancer cells are completely eliminated, to treat disease that has spread or to treat uterine cancer that has returned. 

Immunotherapy

This type of treatment uses drugs to help your body’s immune system recognize and enhance its ability to attack cancer cells. At Winship, we are pioneering the use of immunotherapies for many types of cancer, including uterine cancer. Winship even has a dedicated immunotherapy research program that is advancing the world’s understanding of how our immune system can be harnessed to fight cancers successfully.

Targeted Therapy

Winship’s most promising research in treating uterine cancer is in personalized medicine and targeted therapies. In personalized medicine, researchers identify unique characteristics of tumors that make them vulnerable to known drugs so therapy can be tailored to an individual’s cancer. In targeted therapies, investigators look for new drugs that more selectively target cancer cells with fewer side effects.

Hormone Therapy

For women who wish to preserve their fertility, certain types of uterine cancer may be treated with a hormone. This method is not a curative uterine cancer treatment but can be used to put the cancer into remission long enough to achieve a pregnancy. Hormonal therapy may also be used to prevent certain types of advanced or recurrent uterine cancers from growing or spreading.

In addition to providing treatment, patients are also evaluated for clinical trials to see if they would benefit from an innovative option. Because Winship is Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, we pioneer and lead hundreds of clinical trials each year. That means we can offer you access to the latest uterine cancer treatments you can’t get at other cancer centers.

We understand a diagnosis of ovarian cancer is especially difficult for women who still wish to conceive. If fertility is a concern of yours, we’ll work closely with reproductive endocrinologists at Emory Reproductive Center to preserve your ability to conceive without long delays in your cancer treatment.

At Winship, we strive to deliver the most effective treatment while also minimizing side effects. But coping with uterine cancer and uterine cancer treatment can be challenging. That’s why we have a supportive oncology team of specialized doctors and nurses on staff to help you with the physical, psychological and emotional aspects of living with cancer, including symptom management and counseling. This team — with the help of counselors, nurse navigators, dietitians and social service professionals — will be with you every step of the way.