Can untreated endometrial cancer spread to the lungs at 72?

Question

Hello doctor,

My aunt, 72, avoided regular health checkups for many years and was recently diagnosed with endometrial cancer that has now spread to her lungs.

We are trying to understand how endometrial cancer spreads to the lungs in a 72-year-old person. Avoiding doctors for 30 years, because it seems like the disease went unnoticed for a long time.

She had occasional symptoms earlier, but never got them checked. Does delayed diagnosis usually lead to such advanced spread?

We are trying to make sense of how this progression happens over time.

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I hope you are doing well, and I wish your aunt a speedy recovery.

Initially, of course, a delay in cancer diagnosis may have led to rapid spread. The word cancer itself means something that spreads quickly.

If she had gone earlier to the doctor when she first noticed complaints, for example, of vaginal bleeding, or any pelvic pain, we would have been in an early stage, not stage four. But now is not the time to talk about the past or what should have been done.

We should move forward in treatment since she is in stage four and 72 years old. Her general condition is probably not the best in such cases. We may go for targeted therapy or immunotherapy and pelvic irradiation if there is pelvic bleeding or severe abdominal pain, as they can give a good response.

And the treatment plan will be radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and best supportive care.

She also needs emotional support and nutritional support, and this is your role at home. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy can have fewer side effects than chemotherapy, and at this age, she will not tolerate strong chemotherapy because it can cause weight loss, loss of appetite, fragility, and hair loss.

So at this age and stage, we prefer to use lighter treatments.

I hope this was clear, and if you have any questions at any time, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thank you.

Can untreated endometrial cancer spread to the lungs at 72?

Endometrial Cancer Spread Triage