Uterine Cancer Overview:

Uterine Cancer is cancer of the uterine and is the most common cancer for women to get.  The uterus (womb) is located at the top of a woman’s reproductive organs.  It consists of three parts and the largest part is where the baby grows.  When a woman develops uterine cancer, a tumor develops in the uterus.  There are two different types of uterine cancer.  The first type is the most common and is called endometrial cancer.  This is when cancer develops on the uterus lining.  The second type of uterine cancer is called uterine sarcoma and this is when the tumor develops on the outer layer of muscle tissue of the uterus.

Uterine Cancer Causes:

The exact cause of cancer is not known.  However, researchers have linked certain attributes that increase a woman’s risk of uterine cancer.  Women between the ages of 55 to 70 are most likely to be diagnosed with uterine cancer.  Women who have had few to no children, women who began menstruating at a young age, women who are obese or diabetic, women of high socioeconomic status, and women who menopause late are considered “at risk” for uterine cancer.  Uterine cancer is also linked to excess estrogen.  Therefore women who are on hormonal treatments are more likely to be diagnosed with uterine cancer.

Uterine Cancer Symptoms:

The main symptom of uterine cancer (reported by 90% of women with uterine cancer) is abnormal bleeding after menopause.  Abnormal vaginal discharge that does not appear to contain blood is often a symptom of uterine cancer.  This discharge does in fact contain blood, but it needs to be detected using medical instruments.  Other symptoms include pelvic pain and weight loss.  More symptoms develop in the late stages of uterine cancer, but with the available treatments many women do not reach the late stage of this disease.