Generalities

Endometrial cancers represent the 5th location of female cancers after breast cancers and colorectal cancers with 6560 new cases per year.

It is the most common gynecological cancer. There were 6500 new cases in 2010.
More than 80% of endometrial cancers affect postmenopausal women, on average around 68 years old.

The prognosis is good in the majority of cases, as it is most often diagnosed at an early stage and most often presents in a mild form (95% 5-year survival for localized stages). But there are more aggressive forms with a worse prognosis (see classification).

This cancer comes from the endometrium, which is the lining that covers the inside of the uterus. It evolves under the effect of hormones during the menstrual cycle and at the time of menstruation, part of this tissue is eliminated. It is the breakdown of this tissue that constitutes menstruation (period), approximately every 28 days.
Cancers developing from the endometrium are often hormone-dependent, because this tissue changes under the action of hormones.