Uterine cancer and radiation

At Minneapolis Radiation Oncology, we bring advanced radiation therapy close to home, with 11 locations across the Twin Cities, Brainerd Lakes Area, and Western Wisconsin. Count on the cancer specialists at MRO to be here for you, with care, precision, and compassion.

What is Uterine Cancer?

The uterus, or womb, is the muscular, pear-shaped organ where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. Uterine cancer develops when cells grow out of control in the uterus. Uterine cancer usually occurs after menopause, but it may also occur around the time that menopause begins.

About 3.1 percent of women will be diagnosed with uterine cancer at some point during their lifetime according to data from the National Cancer Institute. Also reported, the 5-year relative survival rate for uterine cancer is over 80%. But incidence and mortality rates have been increasing since 2007, with significant disparities. For example, Black women are twice as likely to die from uterine cancer than White women.

The most common type of uterine cancer is endometrial cancer, which forms in the lining of the uterus. Endometrial carcinomas can be divided into different types based on how the cells look under the microscope. We don’t know what causes most cases of endometrial cancer, but there are risk factors, such as obesity and hormone imbalance, that are strongly linked to this cancer.

Uterine sarcoma is less common, and forms in the muscles or other tissues of the uterus.

“I am a firm believer in the power of technology and radiation therapy
to give patients their best options for fighting cancer.”
Charles Shideman, MD
MRO | Regions