Endometrial Cancer

Posted: March 1, 2005

Endometrial cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the endometrium, which is the innermost lining of the uterus. The uterus is where a fetus grows.

In the United States, endometrial cancer is the most common invasive cancer of the female reproductive system.

Cancer of the endometrium is different from cancer of the muscle of the uterus, which is called uterine sarcoma.

Endometrial cancer occurs more often in white women than in black women. When endometrial cancer is diagnosed in black women, it is usually more advanced and less likely to be cured.

The number of new cases of endometrial cancer in the United States decreased from 1978 to 1988 and has stayed about the same since then. The number of deaths from endometrial cancer has decreased since 1974.

Health history and certain medicines can affect the risk of developing endometrial cancer.
Risk factors for endometrial cancer include the following:

• Taking tamoxifen for treatment or prevention of breast cancer.
• Taking estrogen alone. (Taking estrogen in combination with progesterone does not appear to increase the risk of endometrial cancer.)
• Being overweight.
• Eating a high-fat diet.
• Never giving birth.
• Beginning menstruation at an early age.
• Reaching menopause at an older age.
• Having the gene for hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC).
• Being white.

Symptoms of endometrial cancer:
Unusual bleeding, spotting, or other discharge: If you have gone through menopause it is very important to report unusual bleeding or spotting to your doctor. Although this symptom also can occur with other conditions, it should be checked by your doctor. The discharge might be bloody or it might be white.

Pelvic pain and/or mass and weight loss: These symptoms usually occur in the later stages of the disease. But delays in seeking medical help may allow the disease to progress even further, which lowers the chance for successful treatment.

In most cases, being alert for any symptoms and talking to your doctor right away allows the disease to be found at an early stage. Finding the cancer early improves the chances that it can be treated successfully. But sometimes the cancer is at an advanced stage before symptoms appear.

Early detection tests
Except for a small number of women at high risk for endometrial cancer, there are no special tests to find this cancer early. There is no standard or routine screening test for endometrial cancer. If you are at risk for endometrial cancer, discuss this with your doctor.

Source: National Cancer Institute

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