Women who have had uterine cancer also have an increased risk of developing certain other cancers. An increased risk of developing uterine cancer has been found in women taking the drug tamoxifen for the treatment of breast cancer. This risk may be related to the estrogen-like effect of this drug on the uterus. Women taking tamoxifen should be closely monitored by the doctor for possible signs or symptoms of uterine cancer. Doctors emphasize that the benefits of tamoxifen as a treatment for breast cancer are firmly established and far outweigh the potential risk of other cancers.
White women have a greater chance of developing uterine cancer than black women.
Other risk factors for uterine cancer are also related to estrogen, including having few or no children or entering menopause late in life. Some studies of women who have used oral contraceptives that combine estrogen and progesterone show that these women have a lower than average risk of uterine cancer. Women with known risk factors and those who are concerned about uterine cancer should talk with their doctor about the disease, the symptoms to watch for, and an appropriate schedule for checkups. The doctor's advice will be based on the woman's age, medical history, and other factors . This information was reprinted in whole or in part from the National Cancer Institute's booklet, What You Need to Know About Cancer of the Uterus.