Rise in Womb Cancer Rates




According to the charity Cancer Research UK over the past decade there has been an 18% increase of patients dying from uterine cancer.
Many researchers are blaming obesity as the primary cause in this rise.
Cancer of the womb is the fourth most common cancer in women and tends to occur after the menopause.
The incidence of womb cancer now stands at 19.6 per 100,000. Survival rates have improved with 77% of women now living at least five years after treatment. However the death rate has increased with 1,937 women dying in 2010. 
Prof Jonathan Ledermann, a gynaecological cancer expert at the charity, said: "It's hugely troubling that more women are dying from womb cancer, but we shouldn't let this cloud the fact that the chances of surviving the disease are still better than ever.
"This is due to better organisation of care for women's cancers and more widespread use of one-stop clinics for post-menopausal bleeding, as well as advances in the use of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy through clinical trials."
Rachael Gormley, from the World Cancer Research Fund, said: "Womb cancer is one of several types of cancer where there is strong evidence that obesity increases risk. Others include breast, bowel, oesophageal, pancreatic and kidney.
"As levels of obesity rise, we can expect the number of cancer cases to also increase.
"Taking steps to avoid becoming obese, such as eating a healthy diet and being active each day, is one of the most important things we can do to reduce our risk of cancer."