Uterine Cancer

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

The uterus, or womb, is the place where a baby grows when a women is pregnant. There are different types of uterine cancer. The most common type starts in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. This type is also called endometrial cancer.

The symptoms of uterine cancer include

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge
• Trouble urinating
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during intercourse

Uterine cancer usually happens after menopause. It is more common in women who have obesity. You also have a higher risk if you took estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (menopausal hormone therapy) for many years.

Tests to find uterine cancer include a pelvic exam, imaging tests, and a biopsy. The most common treatment is a hysterectomy, which is surgery to remove the uterus. Sometimes the surgery also removes the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Other treatments include hormone therapy, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Some women get more than one type of treatment.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• Uterine Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Uterine Cancer: Cancer of the Uterus (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

• Symptoms of Uterine Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Endometrial Cancer Screening (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• How Is Uterine Sarcoma Staged? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• PTEN Genetic Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Stages of Endometrial Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Stages of Uterine Sarcoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Ultrasound -- Pelvis (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Can Uterine Sarcoma Be Found Early? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Also in Spanish
• Endometrial Cancer Prevention (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Are the Risk Factors for Uterine Sarcoma? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Dilation and curettage (D&C) (Mayo Clinic)
• Gynecologic Cancers: Treatment Types (American Society for Radiation Oncology)
• Treatment Option Overview (Endometrial Cancer) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Uterine Sarcoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Options by Stage (Endometrial Cancer) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Options by Stage (Uterine Sarcoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Cancer Treatment for Women: Possible Sexual Side Effects (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Fertility and Sexual Side Effects in People with Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Risks of Endometrial Cancer Screening (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Uterine Sarcoma? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• General Information About Endometrial Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• General Information About Uterine Sarcoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Is Uterine Sarcoma? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• Cancer Statistics: Endometrial Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
• Uterine Cancer Statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• What Are the Key Statistics about Uterine Sarcoma? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• What's New in Uterine Sarcoma Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Endometrial Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Uterine Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: The systemic treatment of uterine leiomyosarcomas: A systematic review. No news...
• Article: Genomic and Epigenomic Profile of Uterine Smooth Muscle Tumors of Uncertain...
• Article: Clinical indications for total abdominal hysterectomy among women seen in Dar...
• Uterine Cancer -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
• NCI Designated Cancer Centers (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• womenshealth.gov (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Choriocarcinoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Endometrial biopsy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Endometrial cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Uterine Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish