Cancer of the uterine corpus is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed among women in the SRRHIS population, and 295 invasive cases were reported during 1991 through 1993. For white females, the all SRRHIS incidence rate was lower than the Atlanta or national SEER rates (SRRHIS: 14.5 per 100,000; Atlanta 18.5; national SEER: 22.6) (Figure 27).

The incidence rate for black women in the SRRHIS region (15.7 per 100,000) was only slightly higher than that seen among white women, but similar to rates for Atlanta and all SEER for black females.

Although incidence rates were not very different between black and white women in this population, white women were more frequently diagnosed while the cancer was still localized than black women, and black women were diagnosed with regional and distant disease more often. Since cancers of the uterine corpus are generally treatable when found early, there is clearly a need for education and evaluation of access to care issues among black women in the SRRHIS area.

Five year relative survival rates for cancers of the uterine corpus as reported by the SEER program are very different for white and black women, even at similar stage of disease. The survival rates for white and black women are 96 and 82 percent for localized cancers, 69 and 36 percent for regional, and 28 and 13 percent for distant (Kosary, 95). The reasons for the differences in survival experiences are not understood.

Most cancers of the uterine corpus involve the endometrium or lining of the uterus and are commonly called endometrial cancer. Risk factors clearly related to endometrial cancer are estrogen replacement therapy and obesity. Other characteristics seen more frequently among women with endometrial cancer include never having children, history of infertility, menstrual irregularities, early age at menarche and late age at menopause (Miller, 93).