Health Topic

Uterine Cancer

Uterine cancer is a cancer that forms in tissues of the uterus. It is more likely to happen after menopause. There are things you can do that may help lower your risk.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Also called: Endometrial cancer

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Uterine Cancer

Uterine cancer is a cancer that forms in tissues of the uterus, which is sometimes called the womb. The uterus is the place where a fetus grows during pregnancy.

There are two types of uterine cancer:

  • Endometrial cancer is the most common type. This type of cancer begins in the cells lining the uterus, known as the endometrium.
  • Uterine sarcoma is a rare, more aggressive cancer that is harder to treat. This type of cancer begins in muscle or other tissues in the uterus.

Uterine cancer usually happens after menopause. The cause is unknown. However, some factors and conditions that change the balance of hormones in your body may increase your risk. These can include obesity or metabolic syndrome (a group of risk factors for certain health problems).

Other factors and conditions that may increase your risk for:

Endometrial cancer

  • Taking estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause.
  • Having type 2 diabetes.
  • Starting menstruation at an early age or menopause at a later age.
  • Having never been pregnant.
  • Taking tamoxifen, a medicine used to prevent or treat breast cancer.
  • Having polycystic ovary syndrome.
  • Having a mother, sister, or daughter who has had endometrial cancer.
  • Having certain genetic conditions, such as Lynch syndrome.
  • Having endometrial hyperplasia (thickening of the uterine lining).
  • Having had past treatment with radiation therapy to the pelvis.
  • Taking tamoxifen, a medicine used to prevent or treat breast cancer.

The most common symptom of both endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma is abnormal vaginal bleeding. Both types of uterine cancer may also cause pelvic pain or pressure, unusual vaginal discharge, or an enlarged uterus or pelvic mass.

Less common symptoms may include urinating (peeing) often, having trouble urinating, or pain during sexual intercourse.

If you have symptoms of uterine cancer, your health care provider may:

  • Ask about your medical history and family health history.
  • Do a pelvic exam.
  • Order imaging tests.
  • Suggest a biopsy or a minor procedure called dilation and curettage (D & C) to check the lining of your uterus.

Treatment may depend on your health, how much cancer you have, and whether it has spread. The most common treatment is having a hysterectomy, which is surgery to remove the uterus. Sometimes the surgery also removes the ovaries and fallopian tubes.

You may have more than one type of treatment. Other treatments may include:

  • Hormone therapy
  • Radiation therapy
  • Chemotherapy

There is no sure way to prevent uterine cancer. But you can do things that may help lower your risk such as aiming for a healthy weight, getting regular physical activity, and talking to your provider about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy.

It sits within Cancers, Women and Female Reproductive System.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Cancer Institute.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Uterine Cancer

4,248 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

Start Here

Symptoms

Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

Prevention and Risk Factors

Living With

Related Issues

Statistics and Research

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Uterine Neoplasms. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Uterine Cancer, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.