Over 13,000 women are at risk of death from ovarian cancer in the US in 2023, according to the American Cancer Society.
But even more could die from uterine cancer this year.
Uterine cancer — the most common type of gynecologic cancer in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — starts in the uterus and can spread to other parts of the body.
Those who are over 50, have gone through menopause or who are obese are at heightened risk for the disease, the CDC said.
People suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are also at risk, the ACS said, due to elevated estrogen and lowered progesterone levels.
The most common symptoms are bleeding or vaginal discharge that isn't normal in the menstrual cycle. It's especially worrisome in those with uteruses who have already gone through menopause.
Pain and pressure in the pelvis can also be symptoms.
Uterine cancer is on the rise, Dr. Brian Slomovitz told Fox News Digital — and it's one of the few cancers that is.
Slomovitz is the director of gynecologic oncology and co-chair of the Cancer Research Committee at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
"We’re anticipating that the number of deaths in the United States due to uterine cancer is soon going to outnumber the deaths due to ovarian cancer," he said.
Diagnosing uterine cancer
One of the issues with uterine cancer is that there aren't any pre-symptomatic screenings for it, the CDC said.
Therefore, it's often diagnosed when symptoms are present, Slomovitz said.
Tissue biopsies and ultrasounds are often conducted. And if the cancer is advanced enough, patients can get chest X-rays, CT scans, MRIs or PET scans, which help determine if the disease has spread.
"It traditionally spreads through the lymphatic system, which means lymph nodes can be enlarged," Slomovitz said. "It can also spread to the liver or the lungs through the blood system."
Treating uterine cancer
If an individual is diagnosed with uterine cancer, it can generally be cured with a hysterectomy — the removal of the uterus.
Then, their lymph nodes are sampled to ensure the disease hasn't spread.
But that doesn't work for all patients, Slomovitz said.
Some require chemotherapy or hormonal treatments. In cases in which the latter is used, progesterone is administered to slow down the growth of any tumors.
"We need to do better with treatment options for uterine cancer," Slomovitz said.
There are some breakthrough studies on immunotherapy that have led to pilot programs, however.
A new class of drugs called antibody-drug conjugates was introduced at the American Society for Clinical Oncology's May 2023 conference.
The drugs are designed to bolster the immune system and help it to fight and destroy cancer cells — which is how immunotherapy treatments work in the first place.
Immunotherapy has been proven to be successful in some cases of different types of cancer, like lung cancer or oral cancer.
Research on the success of such drugs is still being conducted.
The month of June was deemed the first Uterine Cancer Awareness Month by the International Society of Gynecologic Cancer as a way to raise awareness to the disease and the importance of researching cures.
Slomovitz chairs that initiative.
"We're in a very exciting time," he said. "There are some game-changing studies that are coming out, as we try to fill this unmet need to help our patients live longer."
