Diseases and Conditions
Endometrial cancer
Diagnosing endometrial cancer
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Prevention
Diagnosis
Treatment
Coping and support
Preparing for an appointment
Causes
Doctors don't know what causes endometrial cancer. What's known is that something occurs to create changes (mutations) in the DNA of cells in the endometrium — the lining of the uterus.
The 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).