Survival rates for endometrial (uterine cancer) in the United States have improved over the past decade, but those gains have not been shared equally across racial and ethnic groups. New findings presented at the 2025 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting show that Black and Hispanic patients continue to face significantly higher risks of death, even as new treatments extend survival overall.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 141,000 uterine cancer cases recorded in the SEER database between 2010 and 2021. During that period, five-year survival among patients with metastatic disease rose from 17.8% to 25.6%, a change attributed in part to the growing use of immunotherapies and other novel treatments. Despite this progress, mortality risk remained sharply elevated for certain groups. African American patients had a 36% higher risk of death compared with White patients, while Hispanic patients faced a 12% higher risk.
Tumor biology and access to care both played a role. Patients with non-endometrioid histology, which is more common in Black women, had a 66% higher risk of mortality. Metastatic disease carried nearly a fourfold increase in death risk overall. Higher income and treatment with surgery or radiotherapy were linked to better outcomes, highlighting how socioeconomic status and treatment access shape survival.
Natalie Moshayedi, from the California University of Science and Medicine, said that while advances have improved outcomes, “socioeconomic, racial, or care volume disparities may contribute to unchanged overall survival, warranting further investigation.” She noted that new therapies appear to benefit some patients more than others, raising concerns about who is able to access cutting-edge care.
The study also documented demographic shifts, with the proportion of White patients declining over time as diagnoses increased among Black and Hispanic women. Without targeted efforts to address inequities in diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care, the authors warned that progress in uterine cancer survival may continue to bypass the communities facing the highest mortality risk.
See: “Uterine Cancer Survival Rates Have Improved Despite Higher Mortality Risks” (March 18, 2025)
