Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (also known as uterine cancer) is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the endometrium—the lining of the uterus. The uterus is a hollow, muscular organ in a woman’s pelvis where a fetus grows.

Obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes may increase the risk of endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer may develop in individuals taking tamoxifen to treat or prevent breast cancer. A patient taking this drug who has any vaginal bleeding (other than menstrual bleeding) should have a follow-up pelvic exam and a biopsy of the endometrial lining, if needed. Women who are taking estrogen alone—without progesterone—also have an increased risk of endometrial cancer.

About 69,120 women in the United States were estimated to be diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2025, and around 13,860 were estimated to die of the disease, according to estimates by the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. The five-year relative survival rate is 81.1%.

Cancer of the endometrium is different from cancer of the muscle of the uterus, which is called uterine sarcoma.

Endometrial Cancer Prevention (PDQ®) Endometrial Cancer Screening (PDQ®) Endometrial Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)

Source: National Cancer Institute