Uterine cancer rates in the United States are expected to climb significantly over the next 25 years, with Black women projected to face the highest burden, according to a new study.
Researchers found that while most cancer rates in the U.S. have declined, uterine cancer incidence increased by 0.7% annually between 2013 and 2022, and death rates rose by 1.6% each year from 2014 to 2023. Black women are already twice as likely to die from uterine cancer as women of other races and ethnicities. It's a disparity expected to widen even further.
“Overall, uterine cancer is one of the few cancers where both incidence and mortality have been increasing, and prior studies have consistently shown significant racial disparities among Black and white women,” said lead author Dr. Jason D. Wright of Columbia University.
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Using a model based on U.S. population data, researchers projected mortality rates to nearly triple for Black women by 2050, rising from 14.1 to 27.9 per 100,000. In comparison, White women’s rates are expected to increase from 6.1 to 11.2 per 100,000.
Wright noted that factors such as obesity, lower hysterectomy rates, later diagnoses and more aggressive tumor types contribute to the disparity. The study suggests that if effective screening were developed, it could significantly reduce the disease burden.
