Endometrial cancer is cancer of the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus. In cancer statistics, it is commonly reported as corpus uteri cancer because it affects the body of the uterus.
It is not among India’s largest cancer burdens like breast, cervical or oral cancer, but it is becoming increasingly important because its risk factors overlap with India’s rising non-communicable disease burden, especially obesity, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle and ageing.
Latest Global Burden
The latest globally comparable estimates are from IARC/WHO’s Global Cancer Observatory: GLOBOCAN 2022, version 1.1 released in February 2024. As of May 2026, this remains the latest official global cancer dataset for country-wise comparison.
- Globally, corpus uteri cancer recorded 4,20,368 new cases in 2022.
- It caused 97,723 deaths globally.
- It ranked 15th in incidence and 19th in mortality among all cancers worldwide.
- Its estimated 5-year prevalence was around 15.63 lakh cases globally.
The wider global cancer burden is rising sharply. WHO-IARC reported that the world saw nearly 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million cancer deaths in 2022, and annual new cancer cases are projected to reach around 35 million by 2050, a rise of about 77% from 2022 levels.
Latest India Burden
For India, the latest internationally comparable estimate is also from GLOBOCAN 2022.
- India recorded around 17,420 new cases of corpus uteri cancer in 2022.
- India recorded around 6,845 deaths due to corpus uteri cancer.
- The estimated 5-year prevalence was around 53,038 cases.
- It ranked around 21st among all cancers in India by incidence.
A more India-specific projection from the ICMR-National Cancer Registry Programme estimates that corpus uteri cancer cases among women may rise to around 30,121 by 2025, compared with 26,514 in 2020 and 23,175 in 2015. The same NCRP analysis estimates India’s total cancer cases to increase to about 15.70 lakh in 2025.
Position Among Women’s Cancers in India
Endometrial cancer is smaller than breast and cervical cancer, but it is now among the important cancers in Indian women.
- ICMR-NCRP estimates show that among Indian women in 2022, the top cancer sites included breast, cervix, ovary, corpus uteri and lung.
- Corpus uteri cancer formed around 3.7% of female cancers in India in 2022.
- In women aged 40–64 years, corpus uteri cancer was among the leading cancers, with an estimated 18,108 cases in 2022.
- By 2025, corpus uteri cancer is projected to remain among the leading female cancer sites.
This makes it relevant for women’s health policy, especially because India’s cancer burden is shifting with urbanisation, ageing and lifestyle changes.
Why It Is Becoming Important
Endometrial cancer is closely linked with the larger epidemiological transition in India.
- Obesity and metabolic disorders are rising, increasing hormonal and inflammatory risk.
- Diabetes and insulin resistance are becoming more common among women.
- Ageing population increases the number of women at risk after menopause.
- Delayed childbirth, fewer pregnancies and changing reproductive patterns may increase lifetime estrogen exposure in some groups.
- Sedentary lifestyle and urban diets are increasing the risk of lifestyle-linked cancers.
- Unlike cervical cancer, there is no simple population-level screening programme for endometrial cancer.
The concern is not only the present burden, but the direction of change. As India becomes more urban, older and metabolically unhealthy, cancers linked with lifestyle and ageing are likely to become more visible.
Risk Factors
- Obesity: Excess body fat increases estrogen exposure, which raises the risk of endometrial cancer.
- Diabetes and insulin resistance: These conditions are linked with metabolic and hormonal pathways that increase risk.
- Ageing: Risk rises after menopause, making older women more vulnerable.
- Early menstruation and late menopause: Longer lifetime exposure to estrogen increases risk.
- Delayed childbirth or no childbirth: Fewer pregnancies may increase exposure to unopposed estrogen.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: PCOS can cause irregular ovulation and hormonal imbalance.
- Lynch syndrome: This inherited condition increases the risk of both colorectal and endometrial cancers.
- Tamoxifen use: Some breast cancer patients using tamoxifen may have a higher risk of endometrial cancer.
Public Health Warning Sign
The most important warning sign is abnormal vaginal bleeding, especially bleeding after menopause.
This is important because many women delay seeking care due to stigma, lack of awareness, poor access to gynaecological services or the belief that bleeding changes are normal with ageing.
The main public-health message should be:
- bleeding after menopause is not normal;
- heavy or irregular bleeding before menopause should not be ignored;
- early medical consultation can lead to early diagnosis and better outcomes.
WHO and Global Health Perspective
WHO does not run a separate endometrial-cancer campaign comparable to cervical cancer elimination. Instead, endometrial cancer falls under the broader cancer-control and non-communicable disease framework.
The WHO-IARC approach focuses on:
- cancer surveillance through GLOBOCAN;
- prevention through risk-factor reduction;
- early diagnosis;
- timely treatment;
- palliative care;
- health-system strengthening;
- universal health coverage for cancer services.
For endometrial cancer, there is no routine global screening strategy for average-risk women. Therefore, the practical public-health approach is risk-factor reduction and early recognition of symptoms, especially postmenopausal bleeding.
India’s Policy Response
India does not have a separate national campaign only for endometrial cancer. It is addressed indirectly through the broader cancer and NCD system.
National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases
India’s NP-NCD works on prevention, screening, early diagnosis, referral, treatment and health promotion for major NCDs. In cancer, the population-based screening focus is mainly on oral, breast and cervical cancers, along with diabetes and hypertension screening for people above 30 years.
Endometrial cancer is not part of routine population-based screening. This is because it does not have a simple, low-cost screening tool suitable for mass use like cervical cancer screening. Its public-health strategy depends more on awareness of symptoms and timely referral.
Cancer Care Infrastructure
India has expanded cancer-care infrastructure through:
- State Cancer Institutes;
- Tertiary Care Cancer Centres;
- district NCD clinics;
- Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres/Ayushman Arogya Mandirs;
- PM-JAY coverage for hospitalisation;
- Jan Aushadhi and AMRIT pharmacies for affordable medicines.
These are relevant because endometrial cancer treatment often requires diagnostic biopsy, surgery, pathology, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or advanced cancer care, which cannot be managed only at the primary level.
Governance Concerns
- Endometrial cancer is not a mass-screening cancer in India, so awareness becomes crucial.
- Women’s cancer programmes often focus on breast and cervical cancer, while uterine symptoms receive less public attention.
- Postmenopausal bleeding is under-reported due to stigma and poor awareness.
- Rural and small-town women may face delayed referral to gynaecology or oncology services.
- Cancer registry coverage and real-time cancer reporting remain limited.
- Rising obesity and diabetes among women may increase future burden.
- Elderly women’s health remains under-prioritised in public-health planning.
Conclusion
Endometrial cancer is not India’s largest women’s cancer, but it is an emerging public-health concern. The latest globally comparable data shows 4.20 lakh new cases and 97,723 deaths worldwide in 2022, while India recorded 17,420 new cases and 6,845 deaths. More India-specific NCRP projections estimate that corpus uteri cancer among women may reach around 30,121 cases by 2025.
The issue is important because it reflects India’s shift towards lifestyle-linked and ageing-related diseases. The policy priority is not mass screening, but awareness of postmenopausal bleeding, early referral, stronger cancer-care infrastructure, better registry data and integration with NCD prevention.
