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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
Doctors don't know what causes endometrial cancer. What's known is that something occurs to create a genetic mutation within cells in the endometrium — the lining of the uterus. The genetic mutation turns normal, healthy cells into abnormal cells. Healthy cells grow and multiply at a set rate, eventually dying at a set time. Abnormal cells grow and multiply out of control, and they don't die at a set time. The accumulating abnormal cells form a mass (tumor). Cancer cells invade nearby tissues and can separate from an initial tumor to spread elsewhere in the body (metastasize).
References
- Park CK, et al. Cancer of the endometrium. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1793.
- Lu K, et al. Neoplastic diseases of the uterus: Endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial carcinoma, sarcoma: Diagnosis and Management. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202781245-2/0/1524/0.html. Accessed Oct. 19, 2010.
- Uterine neoplasms. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/uterine.pdf. Accessed Oct. 19, 2010.
- What you need to know about cancer of the uterus. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/uterus/allpages. Accessed Oct. 19, 2010.
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