News stories across America have told the tales of women who were diagnosed with severe forms of cancer after undergoing surgeries where a power morcellator was used.

While ovarian cancer has been the most commonly reported ailment in relation to these devices, women have also reported being diagnosed with endometrial cancer.

This devastating cancer attacks the inner lining of the uterus, the endometrium. Also called uterine cancer, this disease is one of several major diseases that can develop in the uterus.

While fortunately endometrial cancer is often diagnosed at an early stage because the condition can cause vaginal bleeding, prompting women to see their physician, it is still a deadly form of cancer that leaves many patients perplexed and asking “how do you get endometrial cancer?”

Unfortunately, medical experts do not have an exact answer. A number of factors have been identified that increase the chances of developing endometrial cancer, including high levels of estrogen in women over 40, obesity, and family history of the cancer.

Endometrial cancer is one of the most curable cancers, with five year survival rates of over 80 percent. If diagnosed in time, the cancer can often be cured by surgically removing the uterus. While saving the woman’s life, the cancer and surgery may permanently alter her body.

How Do You Get Endometrial Cancer?

Medical professionals and the FDA have expressed concern over a possible link between power morcellators and the development of endometrial cancer, stating that uterine fibroid removal procedures could raise the risk.

Power morcellators gained popularity for certain laparscopic surgeries because the method requires less hospital time and is less invasive than traditional surgical techniques.

When power morcellators are used in the abdominal area, however, such as with hysterectomies, unruptured sarcomas could be lurking inside the surgical site. Power morcellators could unintentionally rupture the sarcomas, spreading cancer cells throughout the surgical area.

This allows the cancer cells to quickly spread, with women often getting a latent diagnosis after their power morcellator procedures. In response to the growing concern of cancers occurring from these surgeries, the FDA issued a public safety warning in April 2014.

The FDA warned that using power morcellators could potentially release undetected cancer cells, and generally discouraged surgeons from using power morcellators.

Women who were diagnosed with endometrial cancer after undergoing a power morcellator procedure could be eligible to file a legal claim against the device’s manufacturer. A number of these companies, such as Johnson & Johnson, have been the subject of power morcellator lawsuits alleging that they failed to warn patients and surgeons of the potential risks associated with the devices.