Endometrial Cancer Risk Factors
The causes of endometrial cancer are still unknown, and scientists believe it is associated with PTEN mutations. For some reason, the progesterone and/or estrogen receptors on endometrial cancer react with hormones, leading to the abnormal growth of the endometrium. Though the mechanism remains unclear, the following factors could elevate your chance of developing endometrial cancer.
Diabetes
A growing body of evidence shows that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is closely associated with endometrial cancer. The hormone imbalance is considered one of the carcinogenic conditions for ovaries. Women with diabetes mellitus often have increased levels of estrogen and androgen and a decreased level of progesterone. In addition, the interaction among ovarian steroid hormones, insulin, and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) could work synergistically in the development of cancer. [1]
