Understanding Uterus Cancer

The uterus is an important part of the female reproductive system. It plays a central role during pregnancy and holds the child until birth. Physiologically, the inner lining of the uterus becomes thick during a menstrual cycle to hold the fertilised egg and support pregnancy. The hormone estrogen causes thickening. If the woman does not conceive, this thick inner lining is shed during menstruation.

In some women, the cells start growing and thickening abnormally, resulting in the formation of a tumor. When this tumour becomes cancerous, the woman is diagnosed with uterus cancer.

There are two types of Uterus Cancer, as described below:

Endometrial Cancer

One of the most common types of uterus cancer is endometrial cancer. This cancer starts in the cells of the endometrium. It is usually detected early since its symptoms include vagina bleeding or abnormal vaginal discharge. There are two main subtypes of endometrial cancer:

Uterine Sarcoma Some uterus cancers can start in the connective tissues of muscle cells of the uterus. These cancers are called uterine sarcomas. They are more aggressive than endometrial cancers and difficult to treat. Usually, uterine sarcomas are difficult to diagnose until their advanced stages as they do not have any specific symptoms in their early stage. Here are some subtypes of

Uterine sarcomas:

As is the case with most other cancers, uterus cancer stages are determined based on how much it has spread in the body. The most accepted staging system is the FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) system. Here are the different stages of uterus cancer based on this system:

Understanding the symptoms is the first step towards seeking medical attention and diagnosing the disease. It can also be the difference between effective treatment and avoidable complications. Here are the symptoms of both types of uterus cancer:**

Symptoms of Endometrial Cancer:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding

• Pelvic pain or discomfort

• Pain during sex

• Unintended weight loss

• Abnormal vaginal discharge

Symptoms of Uterine Sarcoma:

• Pelvic pain or pressure

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding, which may be heavy and prolonged

• Abnormal vaginal discharge

• A mass or swelling in the pelvic area

• Anaemia

Unlike other diseases, the cause of cancer is still unknown. However, doctors have specified certain factors that increase the risk of developing uterus cancer.

Risk Factors

Since, in most cases, the symptoms are similar to various other gynaecological conditions, diagnosing uterus cancer tends to involve a lot of tests. Here are some uterus cancer tests that are commonly done:

If the doctor suspects uterus cancer, then he/she might recommend a range of other tests to determine the stage of cancer and its spread. These tests are:

• Chest X-ray: If the doctor suspects that cancer to be at an advanced stage, then the chest x-ray can help determine if cancer has spread to the lungs

• CT scan or MRI: These imaging tests can help identify if the cancer cells have spread to the nearby organs

• PET scan: In this imaging test, the doctor will insert a radioactive tracer in the patient’s body to detect cancer cells throughout the body.

Once a patient is diagnosed with uterus cancer, the doctor will plan the treatment based on its stage, spread, and overall health of the patient. Here are some treatment options for uterus cancer:

Here are some things that you can do to reduce the risk of developing uterus cancer:**

• Maintain a healthy BMI: Target a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 25.

• Manage diabetes efficiently: Diabetes does not have a cure. However, you can manage it efficiently by talking to a diabetologist.

• Don’t avoid birth control pills: These pills work by releasing estrogen and progesterone to create a monthly menstrual cycle. Over time, this reduces the risk of extra growth of the lining of the uterus.

• Surgical removal of the uterus: If you are facing gynaecological problems with a high probability of developing uterus cancer, then you can opt for a hysterectomy or uterus removal.

Using a medical insurance plan for Uterus Cancer can help you manage the costs associated with diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care. A comprehensive health insurance policy like the one offered by TATA AIG includes a range of benefits, including:**

• Comprehensive coverage: TATA AIG’s health insurance packages are designed to cater to the varying needs of people and include a range of treatments and medical costs.

• Affordable premiums and out-of-pocket costs: TATA AIG offers health insurance plans that are highly cost-efficient and a range of optional choices like co-payment, voluntary deductible, etc., to help reduce the premium liability without compromising on the coverage.

• Large provider network: With TATA AIG, you can be assured of having access to a wide network of hospitals and healthcare professionals

Here is a quick look at the process to buy TATA AIG Health insurance:

Online Process:

• Visit https://www.tataaig.com

• Go to the Health Insurance Page

• Choose the number of people covered under the policy:

• For individual policies, select only “Self” and click on “Get Plan”

• For family policies, select the family members that you want to be included and click on “Get Plan”

• Enter the date of birth of all covered members and your contact information

• Click on “See Plan”

• Go through the inclusions, exclusions, and coverage offered by each plan offered and select the best one for your needs

• Customize the policy by selecting add-on covers. Also, make sure to select the optimum sum insured

• Click on “Buy Now”

• We will call you to complete the buying process

Offline purchase:

• Visit the nearest TATA AIG office

• Speak to our representative and provide complete details of the coverage that you need

• Ensure that you inform the representative of the medical history of all covered members

• The representative will offer some options. Choose the best plan for your requirements

• Choose add-on covers and the sum insured

• Review the policy details, premium amount, and coverage benefits

• Pay the fees

Here is a general list of documents needed to buy TATA AIG’s medical insurance plan:

• Identification proof: Passport, driving license, Aadhaar card, or PAN card

• Address proof: A utility bill, bank statement, or rental agreement.

• Age proof: A birth certificate or school leaving certificate.

• Medical history: You may be required to provide details of your medical history, including any pre-existing conditions, surgeries, or illnesses.

• Income proof: Salary slips or income tax returns

• Passport-sized photographs

Here are some important factors to consider before buying a health insurance policy:**

• Protection: You will need your health insurance policy to cover various medical costs like hospital bills, consulting charges, therapies, surgeries, etc.

• In-network providers: Look at the list of hospitals and associated healthcare professionals and make sure that there are specialists for uterus cancer on the list. You might want to tick off professionals like oncologists specialising in gynaecological diseases to help manage uterus cancer better

• Affordability: Look at the premium amount, co-payment options, deductibles, and various other expenses associated with the policy before making a decision

• Pre-existing condition coverage: If you have already started showing symptoms of uterus cancer and want to buy an insurance policy to cover the costs, then talk to the insurer about pre-existing condition coverage. This will usually involve a waiting period.

• Second opinion costs: In most cancer cases, patients tend to opt for a second opinion to ensure that the diagnosis is right. Make sure that the policy covers these costs

If you are filing a claim for uterus cancer insurance, here are some important things to remember:

You can avail of health insurance tax benefits on paying the premium of a health insurance policy under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act,1961. Here are the details:

If you have purchased a health insurance policy for yourself, your spouse, your parents, and your dependent children, then the premium paid for the policies can be deducted from your taxable income. Here are the limits:

• For people below 60 years of age: The maximum tax deduction limit is ₹25,000

• For people above 60 years of age: The maximum tax deduction limit is ₹50,000

The maximum deduction amount is ₹1 lakh if both you and your parents are senior citizens.

It also includes the costs for preventive health check-ups (₹5000) for your family.

Remember, if the premium for the health insurance policy is paid via cash, then it is not eligible for a tax deduction. Hence, make sure that you pay using any mode other than cash to be eligible.