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Risk factors :
Most scientists agree that these things affect the risk of uterine
cancer. Some may apply to you, but others may not.
Age and uterine cancer :
The risk of uterine cancer goes up with age. Over 90 percent of cases are
diagnosed in women over 45. The average age the disease is found is 60.
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Weight and uterine cancer :
Women who maintain a healthy weight have a lower risk of uterine cancer,
especially if they are post-menopausal. Being overweight raises the amount of
estrogen a woman is exposed to throughout her life. Estrogen is a female
reproductive hormone mainly released during the menstrual cycle. High levels of
estrogen may cause cells in the uterus (womb) to become cancerous. People who
maintain a healthy weight also have a lower risk of colon cancer, kidney
cancer, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. And women have a lower risk of
breast cancer..
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Smoking cigarettes and uterine cancer : Women who smoke over a pack of cigarettes a day actually have a lower risk of
uterine cancer. But smoking raises their overall risk of early death so much
that it cancels out any kind of protective effect. Cigarette smoke contains
chemicals that damage the genetic structure (DNA) of the body's cells. DNA
damage causes cells to become cancerous. But after a person stops smoking, new
cells replace damaged ones. People who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of
cancers of the bladder, kidney, pancreas, lip, mouth, tongue, larynx, throat,
and esophagus. Women who smoke have a higher risk of cervical cancer. People
who smoke even have a higher risk of other diseases like diabetes, bone loss
(osteoporosis), emphysema and bronchitis! .
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Birth control pills and uterine cancer : Women who take birth control pills for at least 5 years have a lower risk of
uterine cancer. The longer a woman takes the pill, the more she lowers her
risk. Scientists aren't sure why. Birth control pills can have positive and
negative effects on a woman's health. If taken for at least 5 years, birth
control pills can lower a woman's risk of colon cancer, uterine cancer and
ovarian cancer. But while she's taking them, they raise her risk of breast
cancer, heart attack and stroke. When she stops taking them, her risk returns
to normal. For some women, they can also cause side effects like nausea and
vomiting.
WARNING: Smoking and taking birth control pills can be a deadly
combination. Together, they greatly increase the risk of a heart attack and
stroke. All women who smoke should quit for good as soon as possible.
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Number of births and uterine cancer : Women who don't give birth to any children have a higher risk of uterine
cancer. Never being pregnant raises the level of estrogen and lowers the level
of progesterone in a woman's body. Estrogen and progesterone are female
reproductive hormones. High levels of estrogen combined with low levels of
progesterone may cause cells in the uterus (womb) to become cancerous.
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Age at menopause and uterine cancer :
Women who go through menopause (when regular periods stop) at a late age have a
higher risk of uterine cancer. This is because late menopause exposes a woman's
body to more menstrual cycles. Estrogen is a female reproductive hormone mainly
released during the menstrual cycle. High levels of estrogen may cause cells in
the uterus (womb) to become cancerous. Women who go through late menopause also
have a higher risk of breast cancer.
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Post-menopausal hormones and uterine
cancer :
Post-menopausal hormones are medications that help ease the symptoms of
menopause, like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. They contain hormones that are
similar to the female reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone, which
the body stops making in large quantities after menopause. Women who take
post-menopausal hormones for 10 or more years have a higher risk of uterine
cancer. This is because they raise the level of estrogen in a woman's body.
Estrogen is a female reproductive hormone mainly released during the menstrual
cycle. High levels of estrogen after menopause may cause cells in the uterus
(womb) to become cancerous. Post-menopausal hormones can have positive and
negative effects on a woman's health. They can lower a woman's risk of colon
cancer and osteoporosis (bone loss). But they can raise her risk of breast and
uterine cancer. And, although post-menopausal hormones were once thought to
lower the risk of heart disease, it is now unclear exactly how they affect the
risk of the disease.
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Diabetes and uterine cancer : Diabetes occurs when the body doesn't make enough insulin or when the body
can't use the insulin it makes. Insulin is a hormone that converts food into
energy. Women who have diabetes may have a slightly higher risk of uterine
cancer. Scientists aren't sure why. One reason may be that diabetes raises the
level of estrogen in a woman's body. Estrogen is a female reproductive hormone
mainly released during the menstrual cycle. High levels of estrogen may cause
cells in the uterus (womb) to become cancerous. People who have diabetes also
have a higher risk of pancreatic cancer, heart disease and stroke.
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Family History and Uterine Cancer : Women who have a mother or sister with uterine cancer have a higher risk of the
disease. This is because a small number of uterine cancers are linked to
mutations in the genetic structure (DNA) of the body's cells. These mutations
can be passed on from generation to generation. With many diseases, people who
have a family history have a higher risk. A family history raises the risk of
several cancers like bladder, uterine, kidney, skin cancer. It also raises the
risk of diabetes, bone loss (osteoporosis) and stroke.
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