Frequently Asked Questions Cancer of the Uterus
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Cancer is a disease in which certain body cells don't function right, divide very fast,
and produce too much tissue that forms a tumor. Cancer of the uterus is cancer in the
womb, the hollow, pear-shaped organ where a baby grows during a woman's pregnancy. There
are different types of uterine cancers. Two types are endometrial cancer and uterine
sarcomas. In the United States, endometrial cancer is a common cancer of the female
reproductive system. This type of cancer happens when cancer begins in the tissue lining
the uterus (endometrium). Uterine sarcomas occur when cancer grows in the muscles or other
supporting tissues in the uterus. Uterine sarcomas account for only a small portion of
cancers of the uterus.
Some women who get uterine cancer have certain risk factors, or things in their life
that cause them to have a higher chance of getting this disease. But there are women who
get uterine cancer who do not have any of these high risk factors. Uterine cancer usually
occurs after menopause. But it may also occur around the time that menopause begins.
Abnormal vaginal bleeding is the most common symptom of uterine cancer. Bleeding may start
as a watery, blood-streaked flow that gradually contains more blood. Women should not
assume that abnormal vaginal bleeding is part of menopause. If you have abnormal vaginal
bleeding after menopause, talk with your health care provider.
For more information
To learn more about cancer of the uterus, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
web site http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/knowledge or the National Cancer Institute web site http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/uterus.
You also can find out more about cancer of uterus by contacting the Womenshealth.gov Call Center at 1-800-994-9662 or the following organizations:
National Cancer Institute
Cancer Information Service
Phone: (800) 422-6237
Internet Address: http://cis.nci.nih.gov/
Gynecologic Cancer Foundation
Phone: (800) 444-4441
Internet Address: http://www.wcn.org/gcf
American Cancer Society
Phone: (800)-ACS-2345
Internet Address: http://www.cancer.org
Content last updated December 5, 2008.
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