Symptoms and Risk Factors

Uterine cancer tends to occur in post-menopausal women; however, it occurs in pre-menopausal women too. Patients often experience symptoms that indicate that something is wrong. With prompt attention, uterine cancer is usually treatable.

What are the symptoms of uterine cancer?

The symptoms of uterine, or endometrial, cancer include:

• Vaginal bleeding after menopause
• Abnormal bleeding between periods
• Pain in the pelvic area and lower abdomen
• Pain with urination

If you have gone through menopause, vaginal bleeding is always abnormal and should be investigated.

Patients with a personal or family history of fibroids (benign growths in the uterus that can bleed occasionally) sometimes find that their ob-gyn is dismissive when they report new vaginal bleeding. This happens more frequently to Black women than to women of other races. It’s important to insist on a full evaluation and seek a second opinion if you feel that your concerns are not being addressed.

What are the risk factors for uterine cancer?

Uterine cancer can develop in anyone, but some women are at higher risk than others.

Important risk factors include:

• Obesity
• Certain inherited genetic mutations (such as Lynch Syndrome)
• Metabolic syndromes (high blood pressure, high blood sugar or high cholesterol)
• Early menstruation or late menopause
• Never having been pregnant
• Taking the drug tamoxifen or estrogen-only supplements
• Undergoing radiation therapy to the pelvis

Many of these risk factors have an underlying factor, an increased exposure to the hormone estrogen, which can act as another contributor to uterine cancer.

Estrogen causes the lining of the uterus to grow during the menstrual cycle; consequently, it can be a major driver of abnormal uterine tissue growth. Getting your period early or going through menopause late means that estrogen has had a longer time to impact your body. Because pregnancy stops the menstrual cycle – sometimes for a year or more – women who have had children are at a lower risk of uterine cancer than women who have never had children.

In addition, women with obesity also experience elevated levels of estrogen. Learn more about how weight management can reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.

What’s my risk of getting uterine cancer?

The best way to evaluate the risk of uterine cancer is to have a conversation with your ob-gyn. However, there are also online tools you can use to quickly assess your risk and start a conversation with your physician later on.

Your Disease Risk™ is an effective tool that was developed by physicians and scientists right here at Siteman. It can provide you with an estimation of your risk, as well as targeted suggestions to help you manage it.