Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer Risk Factors & Prevention

Before menopause, a woman’s ovaries normally produce two main types of hormones: estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen encourages the growth of endometrial cells in the uterus, whereas progesterone inhibits it. When a woman has high circulating levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone over long periods of time, the risk for uterine (endometrial) cancer rises.

The cells in fatty tissue also make estrogen, which helps explain why obesity is the biggest risk factor for developing this cancer.

The risk for developing uterine cancer also rises if you:

• are between the ages of 50 and 60
• began menstruating before age 12
• entered menopause relatively late, after age 52
• never gave birth
• have a history of infertility (an inability to become pregnant)
• have an ovarian disease, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, that could cause you to have higher than normal levels of the hormone estrogen and lower than normal levels of the hormone progesterone
• have elevated blood sugar (diabetes)
• have high blood pressure (hypertension)
• have a family history of endometrial carcinoma
• have taken the drug tamoxifen after menopause; the increased risk depends in part on the dose taken and the length of time it’s used. Women who take tamoxifen should discuss the risks and benefits of this drug with their doctors.
• have been diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia
• take certain types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)