Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial Cancer Endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterine corpus) is the most common invasive gynaecological cancer in Australia, ranking sixth in terms of incident cancers in women. This cancer results in approximately 1400 new cases and 260 deaths every year. It is most commonly diagnosed between 50 to 70 years of age, and is rare in women under the age of 40.

Endometrial cancer is associated with significant morbidity due to surgery and radiotherapy. There is currently no effective screening procedure for early detection, and five year survival is poor for certain histological subtypes, particularly those presenting at advanced clinical stage.

QIMR researchers are undertaking studies to investigate the environmental and genetic factors that lead to the different subtypes of endometrial cancer, and to establish the molecular pathways involved in their aetiology.

Research is focussed on the following areas:

• Molecular epidemiology of endometrial cancer
• Endometrial cancer and HNPCC in under 50's
• Molecular pathways in later onset endometrial cancer
• Australian National Endometrial Cancer Study