Report: Uterine Cancer on the Rise

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), uterine cancer incidence and mortality is on the rise in the United States. The report indicates that, in U.S. women, uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed and the seventh most common cause of death. The CDC is calling for greater awareness of symptoms for early detection and treatment. 

Researchers assessed incidence data from the CDC’s National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, which covers 98% of the overall U.S. population between 1999 and 2015 to 2016. They found that uterine cancer rates have been increasing by approximately 0.7% per year between 1999 and 2015, or by 12% during that time period. Uterine cancer deaths have been increasing by an average of slightly more than 1% per year.

Uterine cancer, the fourth-most common cancer diagnosis among U.S. women, is among the small number of cancers increasing in both incidence and mortality in the country. https://t.co/LSnCklUtZQ

— U.S. News & World Report (@usnews) December 9, 2018

In 2015, there were 53,911 new, confirmed cases of uterine cancer, occurring at a rate of 27 cases per 100,000 women. The most commonly reported form the disease was endometrioid carcinoma (68%).  

Black women were more likely to be diagnosed with harder-to-treat and later-stage uterine cancer compared with white women. 

Uterine cancer rates are rising, w/ sharp increases in incidence/ mortality rates among racial and ethnic minorities."Public health efforts to help women achieve a healthy weight and obtain sufficient physical activity can reduce the risk" the CDC said. https://t.co/qpbRdYZfkh

— Amy Comander MD, DipABLM (@DrAmyComander) December 8, 2018

The rate of uterine cancer deaths increased between 1999 and 2016 by 21%, or 1.1% per year, on average. In 2016, there were 10,733 deaths from uterine cancer, at 5 deaths per 100,000 women. The rate was highest among black women: 9 per 100,000 women. 

Calculating overall incidence and mortality is important, but when there are 400,000+ hysterectomies *every year*, these statistics are not very accurate for women at risk.
Uterine Cancer Incidence and Mortality — United States, 1999–2016 https://t.co/5KLm5xTIfs via @CDCgov

— Kemi Doll, MD MS (@KemiDoll) December 7, 2018

Researchers said obesity and overweight may be a contributing factor of this rise in cancer incidence.  Overweight or obese women are two to four times more likely to develop endometrial cancer than women of healthy weight. “During 2013-2016, approximately 40% of women in the United States had obesity, including 56% of black women and 49% of Hispanic women,” the report noted. 

Uterine serous carcinoma patients have a long risk of VTE.  

Study finds nine cancer types are associated with a risk of subsequent diabetes diagnosis. 

Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report