Endometrial carcinoma. A retrospective, epidemiological study.

In a retrospective, epidemiological study of 414 patients with endometrial carcinoma, 73.4 percent were overweight and 55.8 percent were obese. The patients had a significantly greater absolute and relative weight than normal control subjects. A tendency was also apparent for height to be greater than in the controls. The patients had low fertility, early menarche and a tendency to late menopause, as well as a considerable premorbid consumption of estrogen preparations. Another characteristic of the patients was their low social class. The aetiology of endometrial carcinoma is presumably multifactorial. Long-term or increased estrogen stimulation of the endometrium plays a role, possibly potentiated by absence of progesterone influence. Obesity contributes to elevated estrogen level by the conversion of androstenedione to estrone in the fatty tissue. The diet depends on the social background and is significant for the development of obesity. Obesity, together with the amount and the composition of the food consumed, might predispose to endometrial cancer by elevated production of endogenous estrogen.