The most common factors that can increase your risk of developing uterine cancer include:
- Age – the average age of uterine cancer patients is 61 years with a majority of cases lie between 50 and 69 years. 5% of cancers are diagnosed before 40 years, 25% before menopause. Therefore, women over 50 are more at risk of uterine cancer.
- Race – uterine cancer is more common among white women living in Western countries.
- Infertility – if you have never had children, you are three to eight times more likely to develop uterine cancer compared to women who had children.
- High estrogen levels – cancer of the uterus is hormone-dependent tumor; its growth is favored by high estrogen hormone levels in the blood.
- Certain diseases – certain medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, under active thyroid and disorder of the gallbladder increase the risk of developing cancer of the uterus.
- Endometrial disease – if you have endometrial hyperplasia, your chance to have an increased risk to have cancer of the uterus.
- Family history – If you have a family history of uterine cancer or colon cancer, you are at greater risk.
- Obesity/Overweight – Your body produces some of its estrogen in fatty tissue; therefore, obesity or excess weight can cause a higher rate of estrogen, which may contribute to the occurrence of uterine cancer.
- Estrogen-only replacement therapy (ERT) – hormone therapy consists of estrogen without progesterone increases the risk of developing cancer of the uterus in a ratio of approximately 120% for each period of five years of use. However, when estrogen is associated with progesterone, the therapy is safe.
- Early first menstruation or late menopause – if you had your first menstruation at a young age (before age 12 for instance) and going through menopause at a late age, you are at greater risk of suffering from uterine cancer.
- Physical inactivity – sedentary lifestyle is the enemy of your body. It causes excess weight, cardiovascular problems, and much more. Regular Physical activity (including domestic work and fast walking), in the other hand, control the production of estrogen produced by the ovaries and reduce the risk of uterine cancer.
- Certain Medications – If you have been treated with tamoxifen to prevent or treat breast cancer, you are twice as likely to have cancer of the uterus.
- Fatty foods – in addition of cervical cancer, fatty foods and red meat are likely to cause many cancers.