Symptoms
Approximately 15 to 20% of women with endometrial cancer may not have any symptoms. Symptoms that do occur may include:
- Unusual bleeding
- Abdominal cramps, which are caused when the tumor blocks the cervical canal and keeps the blood from being expelled
- Postmenopausal bleeding
- Irregular bleeding in younger women. Profuse bleeding that does not stop in a few days like a normal menstrual cycle should be screened.
- In advanced stages, symptoms include intense pain, weight loss and anemia (low red blood cell count)
Causes and Risk Factors
The following factors may put a woman at higher risk of developing endometrial cancer:
- Being older than 40 years old (Less than five percent of endometrial cancers are diagnosed in women younger than 40)
- Being menopausal (90% of women with endometrial cancer are postmenopausal)
- Being between the ages of 60 and 70 years old (65% of women who have endometrial cancer are in these age ranges)
- Younger female patients who have Stein-Leventhal syndrome
- Having a tendency to gain weight
- Being unable to have children
- Having diabetes and other disorders affecting the endocrine glands
- Having had breast cancer and taking Tamoxifen. This anti-cancer drug may cause production of estrogen in certain organs, such as the uterus. Women on Tamoxifen must be regularly screened for abnormalities in the uterus.