Endometrial CancerSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Endometrial Cancer
Endometrial cancer is cancer that starts in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus (womb).
Endometrial adenocarcinoma; Uterine adenocarcinoma; Uterine cancer; Adenocarcinoma - endometrium; Adenocarcinoma - uterus; Cancer - uterine; Cancer - endometrial; Uterine corpus cancer
Endometrial cancer is the most common type of uterine cancer. The exact cause of endometrial cancer is not known. An increased level of estrogen hormone may play a role. This stimulates the buildup of the lining of the uterus. This can lead to abnormal overgrowth of the endometrium and cancer.
Most cases of endometrial cancer occur between the ages of 60 and 70. A few cases may occur before age 40.
The following factors related to your hormones increase your risk for endometrial cancer:
- Estrogen replacement therapy without the use of progesterone
- History of endometrial polyps
- Infrequent periods
- Never being pregnant
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Starting menstruation at an early age (before age 12)
- Starting menopause after age 50
- Tamoxifen, a drug used for breast cancer treatment
Women with the following conditions also seem to be at a higher risk for endometrial cancer:
- Colon or breast cancer
- Gallbladder disease
- High blood pressure
Symptoms of endometrial cancer include:
- Abnormal bleeding from the vagina, including bleeding between periods or spotting/bleeding after menopause
- Extremely long, heavy, or frequent episodes of vaginal bleeding after age 40
- Lower abdominal pain or pelvic cramping
Treatment options include:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
Surgery to remove the uterus (hysterectomy) may be done in women with early stage 1 cancer. The surgeon may also remove the tubes and ovaries.
Surgery combined with radiation therapy is another treatment option. It is often used for women with:
- Stage 1 disease that has a high chance of returning, has spread to the lymph nodes, or is a grade 2 or 3
- Stage 2 disease
Chemotherapy or hormonal therapy may be considered in some cases, most often for those with stage 3 and 4 disease.
Duke Cancer Center
My practice and research focuses on patients who have female-specific cancers, such as ovarian, endometrial, cervical, vulvar or vaginal cancer. I offer my patients access to variety of treatments, ranging from surgery to chemotherapy and radiation. My dad was a physician, and my mom was a nurse, so I was exposed to health care at an early age. I enjoy my work on female cancers, because it is one of the few subspecialties to blend surgery and chemotherapy. It also gives me the chance to develop strong relationships with my patients, since I get to take care of my patients before and during their surgery, as well as continue to see them for the rest of their lifetime. I’ve found those patients, who have been able to face their diagnosis with unwavering optimism, to be incredibly inspiring. I have three children, so outside of work I spend as much time as I can with my family. Dr. Alvarez is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Endometrial Cancer. She is also highly rated in 19 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Ovarian Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Hysterectomy, and Intrauterine Device Insertion. Dr. Alvarez is board certified in American Board Of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Obstetrics & Gynecology and American Board Of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology.
Duke Cancer Center
I am a gynecologic oncologist at Duke. I see women who have ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and vulvar cancer. I also see women with precancerous conditions of the gynecologic organs, which includes cervical dysplasia, vaginal dysplasia, and masses of the ovary that may or may not be cancer. I am fairly direct and let people know what they are dealing with up front. On the other hand, I try to keep everything positive. At this point in my career, I’ve had a lot of experience and will let patients know that while there’s a full range of outcomes that could happen, I have seen a lot of positive examples based on their condition. If I had cancer or a family member of mine had cancer, I would absolutely want them to come to Duke. It’s not just the standard treatments that we offer here, but also the attention to detail and access to world-class clinical trials. Dr. Havrilesky is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Endometrial Cancer. She is also highly rated in 23 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Endometrial Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor, Hysterectomy, and Oophorectomy. Dr. Havrilesky is board certified in American Board Of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology and American Board Of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Obstetrics & Gynecology.
UPMC Gynecologic Oncology
Alexander Olawaiye, MD, is a professor of gynecologic oncology at the University of Pittsburgh and Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC. He specializes in gynecologic malignancies, as well as endometrial, ovarian, cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers.Dr. Olawaiye is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as gynecologic oncology. He completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and received a medical degree from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in London, UK. Dr. Olawaiye completed a residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and a gynecologic oncology fellowship at Harvard Medical School.Dr. Olawaiye is a member of professional organizations such as the Society for Gynecologic Oncologists, American Society of Gynecologic Oncologists and the American Joint Committee on Cancer. He maintains a research interest in translational and clinical research for endometrial, ovarian, cervical, and vulvar cancers. Dr. Olawaiye is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Endometrial Cancer. He is also highly rated in 16 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Endometrial Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Hysterectomy, and Vulvectomy. Dr. Olawaiye is board certified in American Board Of Obstetrics And Gynecology and American Board Of Obstetrics And Gynecology. Dr. Olawaiye is currently accepting new patients.
You can ease the stress of illness by joining a cancer support group. Sharing with others who have common experiences and problems can help you not feel alone.
Endometrial cancer is usually diagnosed at an early stage.
If the cancer has not spread, 95% of women are alive 5 years after treatment. If the cancer has spread to distant organs, about 25% of women are still alive after 5 years.
Complications may include any of the following:
- Anemia due to blood loss (before diagnosis)
- Perforation (hole) of the uterus, which may occur during a dilation and curettage (D and C) or endometrial biopsy
- Problems from surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy
Contact your provider for an appointment if you have any of the following:
- Any bleeding or spotting that occurs after the onset of menopause
- Bleeding or spotting after intercourse or douching
- Bleeding lasting longer than 7 days
- Irregular menstrual cycles that occur twice per month
- New discharge after menopause has begun
- Pelvic pain or cramping that does not go away
There is no effective screening test for endometrial cancer.
Women with risk factors for endometrial cancer should be followed closely by their providers. This includes women who are taking:
- Estrogen replacement therapy without progesterone therapy
- Tamoxifen for more than 2 years
Frequent pelvic exams, Pap smears, vaginal ultrasounds, and endometrial biopsy may be considered in some cases.
The risk for endometrial cancer is reduced by:
- Maintaining a normal weight
- Using birth control pills for over a year
Summary: This ComboMATCH patient screening trial is the gateway to a coordinated set of clinical trials to study cancer treatment directed by genetic testing. Patients with solid tumors that have spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes (locally advanced) or have spread to other places in the body (advanced) and have progressed on at least one line of standard systemic therapy or have no standard treatment t...
Summary: The study goal is to investigate a non-invasive approach to predict endometrial cancer (EC) risk, better understand disease progression and identify opportunities for intervention. This two-part case-cohort prospective study will recruit patients whose abnormal uterine bleeding is being evaluated via endometrial biopsy. Participants will complete an online health questionnaire, and a subset will b...
Published Date: March 31, 2024
Published By: LaQuita Martinez, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Alpharetta, GA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Armstrong DK. Gynecologic cancers. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 184.
Boggess JF, Kilgore JE, Tran A-Q. Uterine cancer. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 85.
Morice P, Leary A, Creutzberg C, Abu-Rustum N, Darai E. Endometrial cancer. Lancet. 2016;387(10023):1094-1108. PMID: 26354523 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26354523/.
National Cancer Institute website. Endometrial cancer treatment (PDQ)-health professional version. www.cancer.gov/types/uterine/hp/endometrial-treatment-pdq. Updated February 8, 2024. Accessed May 30, 2024.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network website. NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology (NCCN Guidelines): uterine neoplasms. Version 2.2024. www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/uterine.pdf. Updated March 6, 2024. Accessed May 30, 2024.