Cancer of the uterus (endometrium) has one symptom : abnormal bleeding from the uterus. Bleeding from the uterus is abnormal in pre-menopausal women if it occurs at unusual times. In a postmenopausal woman, any bleeding from the uterus is abnormal. It is found that a third of postmenopausal women who see their doctor about abnormal bleeding from the uterus have endometrial cancer.
Uterine cancer is associated with the following risk factors:
- obesity
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- not having had a pregnancy
- inadequate hormone therapy (estrogen alone)
Cancer of the uterus is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system. Fortunately, it is also one of the most curable cancers because it is usually discovered at its onset. There are 3,500 uterine cancers in Canadian women every year, with a survival rate of over 80% – this figure is even higher if the cancer is discovered earlier.