gynecology and obstetrics
Endometrial Cancer
Etiology of Endometrial Cancer
Risk factors for endometrial cancer are Unopposedestrogen(high serum levels ofestrogenand no or lowprogesterone) Age > 45 years Obesity Tamoxifenuse for>2 years Lynch syndrome Previous pelvic radiation therapy Increased exposure to extrinsic or intrinsicestrogenmay be associated with Obesity Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or other Estrogen therapy withoutprogesterone Nulliparity Early menarche Late menopause Estrogen-producing tumors Most endometrial cancers are caused by sporadic mutations. However, in approximately 5% of patients, inherited mutations cause endometrial cancer; endometrial cancer due to inherited mutations tends to occur at a younger age and is often diagnosed 10 to 20 years earlier than sporadic cancer. About half of cases that involve heredity occur in families with Lynch Syndrome (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC]). Patients who have Lynch syndrome have a high risk of developing other cancers (eg, 