Abnormal vaginal bleeding before or after menopause could be a possible indicator of endometrial cancer, a doctor said yesterday following the death of Taipei City Councilor Hsu Chia-pei (許家蓓).
Hsu, who had been diagnosed with endometrial cancer in May and was undergoing treatment, died early yesterday. She was 48.
Asked about the disease, Mackay Memorial Hospital Department of Gynecology attending physician Weng Chia-sui (翁嘉穗) said that endometrial cancer has surpassed ovarian cancer and cervical cancer as the most common gynecological cancer.
Photo: Democratic Progressive Party’s Taipei City council caucus
The rate of diagnosed endometrial cancer has increased nearly fourfold over the past 20 years, Ministry of Health and Welfare data showed.
Women considered at high risk of developing endometrial cancer experience long-term menstruation abnormalities, have previously been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, have a family history of gynecologic cancers, have diabetes or are obese, Weng said.
A common symptom of early-stage endometrial cancer is abnormal bleeding, which can occur at about the age of 50, potentially overlapping with menopause, she said.
Women should visit a gynecologist annually before, during and after menopause, which would help doctors detect endometrial cancer early, she said.
Nevertheless, endometrial cancer is challenging to diagnose, as it presents few symptoms other than metrorrhagia (abnormal bleeding between periods), Weng said.
People with the cancer usually experience pain, weight loss or develop pyometra (a potentially life-threatening uterine infection), which indicates that the cancer has progressed to an advanced stage, she said.
Many women mistakenly believe that a cervical cancer test would detect many types of uterine cancers, but they only detect cervical cancers, she said.
Women older than 50 should undergo annual ultrasounds to help physicians detect the disease early, Weng said.
The Health Promotion Administration urges women to exercise regularly, drink coffee in moderation, and maintain a balanced and healthy diet to reduce their chances of developing endometrial cancer.
The agency also urges women to visit a physician as soon as possible when they feel unwell and to follow prescribed treatments.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
LOOKING NORTH: The base would enhance the military’s awareness of activities in the Bashi Channel, which China Coast Guard ships have been frequenting, an expert said The Philippine Navy on Thursday last week inaugurated a forward operating base in the country’s northern most province of Batanes, which at 185km from Taiwan would be strategically important in a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Northern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca as saying that the base in Mahatao would bolster the country’s northern defenses and response capabilities. The base is also a response to the “irregular presence this month of armed” of China Coast Guard vessels frequenting the Bashi Channel in the Luzon Strait just south of Taiwan, the paper reported, citing a
About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
RSS