Prevention of Uterine Cancer

Prevention of uterine cancer involves avoiding risk factors for this disease and increasing the uterine cancer protective factors that can be controlled. Risk factors for uterine cancer that can be controlled include being obese and physically inactive. Protective factors that may help premenopausal women prevent uterine cancer include taking oral contraceptives. While following recommendations for the prevention of uterine cancer does not guarantee a woman won't develop the disease, it does decrease her chances of getting it.

Cancer of the Uterus

Prevention of Uterine Cancer: An Introduction

Anything that increases a woman's chances of developing uterine cancer is called a uterine cancer risk factor; anything that decreases a person's chances of developing the disease is called a uterine cancer protective factor. Prevention of uterine cancer refers to avoiding the risk factors and increasing the protective factors that can be controlled. While this does not guarantee that a woman will not develop uterine cancer, it does decrease the chances.

Most cases of uterine cancer occur in the lining (endometrium) of the uterus. This article uses the term "uterine cancer" to refer to this type of cancer, also known as endometrial cancer. This article does not discuss a rare type of uterine cancer that can occur in the muscles or other tissues that support the uterus. Click Uterine Sarcoma for more information on this topic.

Prevention of Uterine Cancer: Know the Risk Factors

Some of the risk factors for uterine cancer can be avoided, but many cannot. Uterine cancer risk factors include:

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Selective estrogen receptor modifiers (SERMs)
Certain diet and lifestyle choices
Hereditary conditions
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Age at menstruation and menopause
Number of children.

(Prevention of Uterine Cancer Continued: Page 2)