UK Uterus (Womb) Cancer incidence statistics

Cancer of the corpus uteri (uterus or uterine cancer) is the fourth most common cancer in women in the UK with 7,045 cases diagnosed in 2006 1-4, accounting for around 5% of all female cancers ( Table 1.1).

Incidence of uterine cancer is rising in postmenopausal women but five-year survival rates have improved to more than 75% 5.

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Uterine cancer is the most common cancer of the female genital tract.

Figure 1.1 shows the body of uterus and cervix, and outlining endometrium and muscle walls.

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The vast majority (93%) of uterine cancer cases are diagnosed in women aged over 50 years with very few women diagnosed under the age of 35. Incidence rises rapidly to a peak of 78 per 100,000 females in their early seventies. Uterine cancer incidence rates decline after the age of 75 (Figure 1.2)1-4.

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Corpus uteri cancer is primarily a cancer of the developed world with incidence rates more than four times higher than in developing countries 6. By contrast, developing countries have much higher rates of cervical cancer and worldwide, there are more than twice as many cases of cervical cancer as corpus uteri cancer diagnosed each year.

In North America, Australasia and many European countries, the incidence of cervical cancer has fallen with the introduction of screening and cancer of the corpus uteri is now the most commonly diagnosed gynaecological cancer 6. Uterine cancer incidence rates are highest in North America; up to ten times higher than in parts of Africa and almost double those in Northern Europe ( Figure 1.36).

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Uterine cancer incidence rates in the UK are among the lowest in the European Union (EU), while the highest rates are found in Malta, Czech Republic and Luxembourg ( Figure 1.4). Romania, Greece and Portugal have the lowest uterine cancer incidence rates 6.

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Evidence from the US suggests important ethnic differences; uterus cancer incidence rates are significantly higher in white compared with black women (23.5 vs. 18.0 per 100,000 females) 7. The rate of uterine cancer of unspecified parts is significantly higher in black than white women (1.3 vs. 0.7) 7, which may contribute to poorer survival rates in black American women as these tumours are usually large and diagnosed at a late stage.

The age-standardised incidence of corpus uteri cancer in Great Britain remained stable between 1975 and 1993, and increased by 34.0% between 1993 and 2006.

Considered separately, tumours of the corpus followed the overall trend, while rates for uterine part unspecified tumours fell slightly over the period 1974-2006 ( Figure 1.51-3).

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There are important variations in uterine cancer incidence by age. Incidence rates in the over 55 age group have been rising since the late 1970's. Between 1986-2005 the most significant incident rate increase has been in the 60-79 age group, where rates have increased by over 60%. For those aged under 55 incidence rates have remained largely stable.( Figure 1.61-3).

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The uterine cancer incidence trend for the UK is shown in Figure 1.7.

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Uterine cancer incidence trends in most other European countries are similar 8, but are quite different in the US where age-standardised rates have recently been stable in white women but have increased in black American women by almost 2% a year between 1992-2002. 7