Endometrial Carcinoma

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common invasive neoplasm of the female reproductive tract and the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer in women in the United States. In 2017, it was estimated there were 61,380 new cases and 10,920 deaths resulting from this neoplasm. Worldwide, approximately 319,600 cases are diagnosed each year, making endometrial carcinoma the sixth most common cancer in women (Torre et al. 2015). The incidence of endometrial cancer varies widely throughout the world. The highest rates occur in North America and Europe, whereas rates in developing countries are four to five times lower. The incidence of endometrial cancer in Japan has been steadily increasing since 1978 and is now the most common gynecologic malignancy in Japan (Yamagami et al. 2017). In 2012 in the United States, the age-adjusted incidence rates of endometrial carcinoma in black and white women were similar, however since 1990 the incidence has been increasing in black women who have an 80% higher mortality rate than white women (Eheman et al. 2012; Jamison et al. 2013). Although the reason for this is not completely understood, it has been shown in a number of studies that an increase in aggressive histologic subtypes and advanced stage are contributing factors and that discrepancies in access to and quality of health care as well as genetics are also likely to play a role.