Risk Factors and Prevention

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Some risk factors can be controlled, such as smoking, and some cannot be controlled, such as age and family history. Although risk factors can influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. However, knowing your risk factors and communicating them to your doctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health-care choices

The following factors may raise a woman’s risk of developing uterine cancer:

Age. Uterine cancer most often occurs in women over 50; the average age is 60.

Obesity. Fatty tissue in women who are overweight produces additional estrogen, which can increase the risk of uterine cancer. This risk increases with an increase in body mass index (BMI; the ratio of a person's weight and height)

Race. White women are more likely to develop uterine cancer than black women.

Genetics. Uterine cancer may run in families where colon cancer is hereditary. For more information, read The Genetics of Colorectal Cancer.

Other health conditions. Women may have an increased risk of uterine cancer if they have had endometrial hyperplasia or if they have diabetes.

Other cancers. Women who have had breast, colon, or ovarian cancer have an increased risk of uterine cancer.

Tamoxifen. Women taking the drug tamoxifen (Nolvadex) to prevent or treat breast cancer have an increased risk of developing uterine cancer. However, the benefits of tamoxifen may outweigh the risk of developing uterine cancer, so women should discuss the benefits and risks of tamoxifen with their doctor.

Radiation therapy. Women who have had previous radiation therapy in the pelvic area (the lower part of the abdomen between the hip bones) for another cancer have an increased risk of uterine cancer.

Diet. Women who eat a diet high in animal fat may have an increased risk of uterine cancer.

Estrogen. Exposure to estrogen and/or an imbalance of estrogen is relevant to many of the following risk factors:

• Women who started having their periods before age 12 and/or go through menopause later in life
  
  
• Women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause, especially if they are only taking estrogen; estrogen with progesterone poses a lower risk.
  
  
• Women who have never had children

Prevention

Research has shown that certain factors can lower the risk of uterine cancer:

• Taking birth control pills, especially over a long period of time
  
  
• Assessing the risk of uterine cancer before considering HRT, especially estrogen replacement therapy
  
  
• Maintaining a healthy weight
  
  
• If diabetic, maintaining good self-care, such as regularly monitoring blood glucose levels