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Control and Prevention
Division of Cancer
Prevention and Control
4770 Buford Hwy, NE
MS K-64
Atlanta, GA 30341-3717

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Uterine Cancer

Diagram of the female genital tract depicting fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, cervix, vagina, and vulva.

Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later. When cancer starts in the uterus, it is called uterine cancer. The uterus is the pear-shaped organ in a woman's pelvis (the area below your stomach and in between your hip bones). The uterus, also called the womb, is where the baby grows when a woman is pregnant. The most common type of uterine cancer is also called endometrial cancer because it forms in the lining of your uterus, called the endometrium.

When uterine cancer is found early, treatment is most effective. The most common sign of uterine cancer is bleeding that is not normal for you because of when it happens or how heavy it is. This could mean bleeding, even a little bit, after you have gone through menopause; periods that are longer than seven days; bleeding between periods; or any other bleeding that is longer or heavier than is normal for you.

Other symptoms, such as pain or pressure in your pelvis, also may occur if you have uterine cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional right away. They may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know is to see your health care professional.

Learn more by downloading the Inside Knowledge campaign's uterine cancer fact sheet. (PDF-286KB)

Who Gets Uterine Cancer?

All women are at risk for uterine cancer, but the risk increases with age. Most uterine cancers are found in women who are going through or who have gone through menopause—the time of life when your menstrual periods stop. In 2004,* 36,981 women in the United States were told that they had uterine cancer, making it the fourth most common cancer in women.

U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 2004 Incidence and Mortality. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2007.
*The most recent year for which statistics are currently available.

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Page last reviewed: March 14, 2008
Page last updated:  March 14, 2008
Content source: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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