Endometrial Cancer

Cancer of the endometrium is the most common gynecological cancer and in fact the fourth most common cancer in women. It is one and a half times as common as ovarian cancer and three times as common as cervical cancer. It would appear that since the 1970s the number of women with endometrial cancer has risen, but commensurate with this rise has been a rise in the cure rate. This maybe because of increasing awareness among women that when they have bleeding, particularly after their menstrual periods are finished, it is important that they attend their doctor for investigations. This has allowed earlier diagnosis of the condition and, as with all cancers, the usual rule is that the earlier you diagnose it, the higher is the cure rate. Most women tend to be diagnosed between the age of 50 and 60, but 20–25% will have a diagnosis made before the menopause and a small percentage (5%) will be diagnosed before the age of 40. This is why for those women who have menstrual upset, particularly when they are in their forties, investigation is always undertaken to make sure that they do not have endometrial cancer. The vast majority of people with menstrual upset do not have endometrial cancer, but unfortunately a small minority do. Even when women who are in the menopause start bleeding again, the majority of these women do not have endometrial cancer, although clearly investigation has to be done to make certain that this is not the diagnosis.