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About the Carolina Endometrial Cancer Study

In 2023, there were more than 890,000 women living with an endometrial cancer diagnosis—the second largest group of female cancer survivors after breast cancer. Endometrial cancer is the 4th most common cancer in American women (and 9th most common overall) (American Cancer Society, 2023). Unlike other common cancers, endometrial cancer incidence (new cases) and mortality (deaths from endometrial cancer) have not decreased in recent years. Endometrial cancer has one of the largest racial disparities in survival—5-year survival is 62% for Black women, and 83% for White women (National Cancer Institute, 2023).

 

The Carolina Endometrial Cancer Study (CECS) seeks to address contributors to racial disparities in endometrial cancer and improve the lives of endometrial cancer survivors.

 

 

The CECS explores survivorship and experiences after endometrial cancer. Our goal is to understand more about factors that contribute to different outcomes among adults with endometrial cancer, including tumor recurrence, survival, and quality of life changes. Our team investigates factors such as tumor biology, lifestyle and behaviors, socioeconomic backgrounds, and barriers to care. We will examine these factors in a diverse cohort of adults diagnosed with endometrial cancer across North Carolina.

 

The CECS is a population-based study of endometrial cancer that is being conducted statewide in North Carolina in conjunction with the Central Cancer Registry. Our goal is to enroll about 1,800 adults (age 20–80) living in North Carolina (all 100 counties) at the time of their recent first diagnosis of endometrial cancer to learn more about survivorship after endometrial cancer and why some people have different outcomes and experiences.

 

 

Participants are asked to complete a survey, for consent to obtain medical records and a sample of stored tissue from diagnosis/treatment of endometrial cancer, and to provide a saliva sample through a mailed self-collection kit. Study participants will be contacted for follow-up for about 5 years to obtain updated treatment and outcomes information.

 

 

 

The study is conducted by the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and is also affiliated with the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is funded by the University Cancer Research Fund of North Carolina and the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.