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<\/p>\nWhen you think of the most common gynecological cancer, you probably don\u2019t think of uterine cancer, but this cancer type is more commonly diagnosed than other gynecological cancers such as ovarian and cervical.<\/p>\n
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Yoss Sabalet \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
There were nearly 70,000 cases of uterine cancer in 2024, according to the National Cancer Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n Uterine cancer involves cancer of what many folks think of as the womb, \u201cor the place where a pregnancy is housed and grows,\u201d said Dr. Ami Vaidya<\/a>, a gynecological cancer doctor at Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cThe uterus has two components; there\u2019s a muscle wall and there\u2019s a lining, an inner portion of the uterus that consists of glandular tissue,\u201d Vaidya explained.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I mentioned these two different areas because very different cancers can start in the two different areas of the uterus,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n It\u2019s more common to see cancer in the lining, which is known as endometrial cancer,\u00a0Vaidya said. \u201cAnd although there are several different types within that category, as a group, that is more common than the cancers that can start in the muscle wall \u2014 the cancers that start in the muscle wall are called sarcomas or leiomyosarcomas,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Uterine cancer<\/a> rates are rising, said\u00a0Dr. Ebony Hoskins<\/a>, a gynecologic oncologist in Washington, D.C., and member of the\u00a0Society of Gynecologic Oncology<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rates of endometrial cancer, specifically, have actually surpassed ovarian cancer rates. This makes it the most common GYN cancer in the country, Hoskins added.<\/p>\n Roughly 12,000 people die of ovarian cancer each year, while more than 13,000 die of endometrial cancer, said Hoskins. Here\u2019s what to know:<\/p>\n There isn\u2019t currently a screening test, but there are symptoms you should look out for.<\/p>\n Related: Kids Today Have No Idea What These 23 Now-Obsolete Items Were Used For, So I’ll Be Impressed If You Can Even Identify Half Of Them<\/a><\/p>\n The Good Brigade \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n While screening tests like mammograms screen for breast cancer and pap smears screen for cervical cancer, there isn\u2019t an equivalent for uterine cancer.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have a test to predict early disease or pre-invasive disease,\u201d said Hoskins. This makes it crucial to understand the warning signs of this kind of cancer and who it commonly occurs in.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s typically detected in post-menopausal women, so women after the age of menopause, after they\u2019ve not had a cycle for greater than one year,\u201d said Hoskins.<\/p>\n Uterine cancer is most common in this population, which tends to be women over the age of 50. In women who have gone through menopause, the sign of uterine cancer is often post-menopausal bleeding, she noted.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they suddenly start bleeding, they should call their gynecologist or their health care provider and say, \u2018This is what\u2019s going on,\u2019 and that doctor, then, in turn, should see and examine the patient,\u201d added Vaidya.<\/p>\n Pelvic pain or discomfort is also a red flag,\u00a0Hoskins said.<\/p>\n Maskot \/ Getty Images\/Maskot<\/p>\n The doctor may order testing to look at the uterus, such as an ultrasound, and will likely also do a biopsy on tissue from the uterus, said Vaidya.<\/p>\n \u201cThose are the ways that, if someone\u2019s having symptoms, that we can try to test and look for it,\u201d\u00a0Vaidya said.<\/p>\n The cancer isn\u2019t as common in pre-menopausal women, but it can still happen, said Hoskins. Symptoms in this group include irregular heavy bleeding or bleeding between periods, Hoskins added.<\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t mean that any period irregularity or heavy bleeding is cancer, though, so, don\u2019t panic, said Vaidya. There can be many common reasons for heavier or irregular periods such as fibroids or a polyp, she noted.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it does make sense for women to think about their body, to notice if there\u2019s a change, and especially when we think of pre-menopausal women … it is good, if you\u2019re familiar with your normal [cycle] to then be able to report an abnormal [cycle],\u201d\u00a0Vaidya said.<\/p>\n Certain people are at higher risk of uterine cancer.<\/p>\n Related: I\u2019m A Middle-Aged Woman. This Is What Happened When I Got A Happy Ending Massage.<\/a><\/p>\n SDI Productions via Getty Images<\/p>\n A few groups of people are at higher risk for developing uterine cancer, and while this includes Black women (more on that below), it also includes other folks.<\/p>\n You can genetically be at higher risk of uterine cancer, too, said Hoskins. \u201cFolks may have something called Lynch syndrome … basically they\u2019re born with the gene that puts them at risk,\u201d said Hoskins.<\/p>\n In this case, if you have a family history of colon, ovarian, or uterine cancer, you should let your doctor know, both experts told HuffPost. You could be eligible for genetic testing to see if you have Lynch syndrome.<\/p>\n People who have\u00a0PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome<\/a>, are also at higher risk, noted Vaidya.<\/p>\n Create Image \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Related: “It’s Incredibly Hard To Diagnose”: Medical Professionals Are Revealing The Medical Mysteries That’ve Yet To Be Solved, And Some Of Them Might Surprise You<\/a><\/p>\n Taking unopposed estrogen also puts folks at higher risk. Hoskins explained what that means: \u201cAny woman with a uterus needs to have estrogen and progesterone \u2014 that helps counterbalance any type of effect on the endometrium,\u201d Hoskins said.<\/p>\n It\u2019s common for women to take hormone therapy<\/a> to counteract menopause symptoms.<\/p>\n \u201cI think most providers know that you need to not just prescribe estrogen, but estrogen and progesterone to protect the uterus, if they\u2019re using any type of hormone replacement,\u201d Hoskins noted.<\/p>\n If you are prescribed hormone replacement pills, be sure to follow the directions from your provider, and don\u2019t skip out on your progesterone medication, Hoskins added.<\/p>\n Black women, particularly, have higher rates of death from uterine cancer.<\/p>\n JGI\/Tom Grill \/ Getty Images\/Tetra images RF<\/p>\n Recent research out of Columbia University<\/a>\u00a0and published in the American Association for Cancer Research used current data and modeling tools to predict what uterine cancer rates and mortality may look like in 30 years \u2014 and it paints a bleak picture.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought it was scary,\u201d said Hoskins. In 2050, it\u2019s expected that uterine cancer incidence and deaths will increase. Uterine cancer cases are expected to increase by 50% in Black women in 2050<\/a> and 29% in white women when compared to 2018 data.<\/p>\n Currently, \u201cBlack women may be diagnosed at the same rate as white women, but are two times more likely to die,\u201d according to Hoskins.<\/p>\n The exact reasons why Black women are at higher risk aren\u2019t known, but Hoskins has a few ideas.<\/p>\n MementoJpeg \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Related: Medical Professionals Are Sharing “Mundane” Things That Actually Make So Many People Sick<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIn endometrial cancer, there\u2019s about eight different subtypes [and] Black women tend to have cancers that are more aggressive,\u201d said Hoskins.<\/p>\n Systemic racism could also be a reason \u2014 maybe the patient wasn\u2019t heard by their doctor, Hoskins noted, or perhaps they didn\u2019t have swift access to care.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some things that I do think need to be studied more, but we should discuss it, and that may be use of relaxers … as a potential risk,\u201d said Hoskins, referring to recent research showing that the chemicals in hair-straightening relaxers put folks at higher risk of uterine cancer<\/a>. Synthetic hair used by Black women for hair braiding has also been found to be carcinogenic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Uterine cancer rates are rising, and experts have a few theories as to why.<\/p>\n Aleksandr Zubkov \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cThe main driving force for why we\u2019re seeing an uptick in younger women \u2014 and that\u2019s across the board, white, Black [and other groups]\u00a0\u2014 has to do with increase in hormones that are influencing the uterus in obese patients,\u201d said Vaidya.<\/p>\n How so? \u201cThe majority of our hormones we\u2019re talking about\u00a0\u2014 estrogen and progesterone\u00a0\u2014 come from the ovary in pre-menopausal women,\u201d said Vaidya.<\/p>\n \u201cIn pre-menopausal women, we expect to see a balance between estrogen and progesterone when they\u2019re made by the ovary,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n Twenty47studio \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n In obese folks, \u201cfat cells produce something called estrone. It is a weak estrogen, and fat cells don\u2019t produce the balancing hormone progesterone at all. So for patients who are obese, who are over their ideal body weight, those patients will have estrone in their body that stimulates the lining of the uterus, and because they don\u2019t have the balanced progesterone from those same fat cells over time, those are women that are at increased risk for developing this endometrial pre-cancer and endometrial cancers,\u201d explained Vaidya.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that obesity itself isn\u2019t an indicator of one\u2019s health, but there are cases, like this one, when it can impact chances of developing certain diseases. And in this case, Vaidya added that the more overweight someone is, the higher their risk is for uterine cancer.<\/p>\n This all may sound scary, but understanding the risk factors and the signs of uterine cancer can help you take control of your health and know when to bring a specific issue to your doctor\u2019s attention.\u00a0This article originally appeared on HuffPost.<\/a><\/p>\n Also in Goodful: 19 “Garbage” Modern Trends People Refuse To Partake In Despite Their Popularity<\/a><\/p>\n Also in Goodful: “He Thinks This Is Hostile And He Is Correct” \u2014 Women Are Sharing The “Unhinged” Ways They Practice Microfeminism That Reaally Grind A Small Man’s Gears<\/a><\/p>\n Also in Goodful: 17 “Bad” Habits That Are Seriously Harming Your Health, Straight From Doctors And Scientists<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Person](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/c7f43a94900d9219ddb8bb9e68601c55.jpeg\"\/)
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