Endometrial cancer

Symptoms of womb cancer

Womb cancer is sometimes called endometrial cancer. The endometrium is the lining of the womb. Endometrial cancer is the most common type of womb cancer.

The most common symptom of womb cancer is abnormal bleeding from the vagina. This is especially in women who have stopped having periods (post menopausal women).

Symptoms of womb cancer can include:

bleeding after the menopause
bleeding that is unusually heavy or persistent between periods
an abnormal vaginal discharge that might be pink

Heavy bleeding is a common symptom of many other conditions, such as:

endometriosis
fibroids
thickening of the womb lining (endometrial hyperplasia)
growths (polyps) in the womb lining
bleeding with no obvious underlying cause, also called dysfunctional uterine bleeding

Less common symptoms

Less common symptoms of womb cancer include blood in the urine (haematuria) with either a:

low red blood cell level (anaemia)
high platelet count (thrombocytosis)
high blood sugar level

Other symptoms

Other symptoms of womb cancer may include:

tummy (abdominal) pain
a swollen tummy
bloating
a change in bowel or bladder habits
a new cough

If you have any of these symptoms, you must get them checked by your GP. But remember, they can all be caused by other conditions. Most people with these symptoms don’t have womb cancer.

Get tips on seeing your GP about your symptoms

Last reviewed: 09 Feb 2024

Next review due: 09 Feb 2027

What is womb cancer?

You may hear womb cancer being called uterine cancer. The endometrium is the lining of the womb. Endometrial cancer is the most common type of womb cancer.

Risks and causes of womb cancer

Being overweight or obese is one of the biggest risks of womb cancer in the UK. There are some other risk factors that can increase your risk of developing womb cancer.