Endometrial (uterine cancer) is rising faster than clinical tools can keep pace, and the consequences are falling most heavily on Black women. A Medscape Medical News report warns that incidence and mortality from uterine cancer are projected to climb sharply through 2050, with Black women experiencing a far steeper increase than White women in both new cases and deaths.
Jason Wright, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at Columbia University, said both incidence and mortality have increased over recent years, a trend that sets uterine cancer apart from most other malignancies. “That’s particularly true in Black women who are seeing a much higher increase in the incidence and mortality of uterine cancer,” he said. Projections show incidence among Black women rising by more than 50% by midcentury, compared with about 28% among White women. Mortality rates are expected to nearly double for Black women, reaching levels far higher than those seen in White women.
The report highlights that nonendometrioid tumors, which are more aggressive and historically more common in Black women, are expected to increase substantially in this group. By 2050, incidence of these tumors in Black women is projected to be nearly four times higher than in White women. Kemi Doll, MD, of the University of Washington, said the trend exposes long-standing research gaps. “Black women have been left behind in the world of uterine cancer research and it shows,” she said.
Compounding the problem is the lack of routine screening. Wright noted there are no effective population-wide screening tests, and current guidance relies on symptoms such as abnormal bleeding to trigger evaluation. Doll added that commonly used tools, including transvaginal ultrasound, may be less reliable in Black women, underscoring the need for strategies that do not depend on whether symptoms are believed.
Experts cited aging, rising obesity, and declining hysterectomy rates as partial contributors, but said these factors do not fully explain the disparity. Without better prevention, earlier detection, and targeted research, the projected rise threatens to deepen one of the most severe racial health disparities in women’s cancer.
See: “Uterine Cancers Outpace Clinical Tools to Curb Them” (August 5, 2025)
