Endometriosis Compared to Cancer

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Even though Endometriosis is a condition that affects 1 out of 7 women all over the world, there is not a lot that is known about this disease. It is a problem that occurs when the tissue found inside of the uterus develops in other parts of the body. Endometriosis causes are still unknown, however, there are several theories.

This condition has often times been compared to cancer, which is defined as an invasion of the cells that's growth is unrestrained. There are other similarities between these two diseases which include a decrease in the amount of cells that undergo apoptosis and a development of new blood vessels. Many doctors have been debating the idea that endometriosis will transform into cancer since 1925, and yet still no conclusions have been made.

Recent research has shown that there may be a connection between cancer and endometriosis. It has been seen that women who have endometriosis are more prone to other forms of cancer including, endocrine, breast, brain, and ovarian. Even though these doctors agree that there is a risk, there is still further research that needs to be done in order to conclusively link endometriosis to cancer.

The research that has been done up to this point has found that women with endometriosis only have a slightly higher risk of developing cancer than women who are not suffering from this condition. Additionally, women who have had a hysterectomy during or before they developed endometriosis are not shown to have a higher risk of developing cancer.

The primary difference between cancer and endometriosis is the fact that endometriosis is not deadly like cancer is. While this condition can be extremely painful, and is associated with other various conditions like issues with the pelvic area, it is not cancerous by itself. Endometriosis treatments include laparoscopic surgery, pain management, and the treatment of hormone imbalances.