A cancer in the uterus is growing in prevalence, with researchers forecasting it to be the second most diagnosed cancer among Canadian women in the next 15 years. The Canadian Cancer Society expects 8,800 people to be diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2026, ranking fourth place among cancers that affect women. Despite an upward trend in diagnoses, general understanding of the cancer remains low. Monday marks the very first Endometrial Cancer Awareness Week in Canada, a public education initiative spearheaded by GSK Canada. GSK, a global biopharma company, ran a study of 1,510 women over the age of 40 in April 2025. Their report found substantial gaps in awareness of various gynecologic cancers for the demographic. “Alarmingly, over 80% of respondents surveyed revealed they lack awareness of the symptoms and risk factors of endometrial cancer, also known as uterine cancer – a troubling gap in knowledge given its rising prevalence,” reads the report. Dr. Jake McGee, an oncologist and professor at Dalhousie University, says endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy he deals with. “One in 39 women will get it in their lifetime, or roughly 3 per cent,” he says. More than 90 per cent of the diagnoses occur in people over 50 years old. It begins in the inner lining of the uterus, where abnormal cell growth often results from an excess of estrogen without sufficient progesterone. Data from the Canadian Cancer Society and the federal government show an expected 240 cases of uterine cancer in Nova Scotia, 210 in New Brunswick, and 35 in P.E.I. for this year. Without early detection, the cancer risks spreading to the cervix and other parts of the body. “The good news is, is that there are signs that we can identify and if we act on them early, we can often cure it,” says McGee. He points to post-menopausal bleeding as a common symptom. The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network reports 90 per cent of cases first present with it. “For women that have bleeding after menopause, that’s never normal. You need to go see your family doctor or gynecologist and have an endometrial biopsy, which will give us a diagnosis and get us on the road to treatment,” he says. He adds anyone with a heavier menstrual cycle than usual or prolonged bleeding should also be assessed. “Treatment typically starts with a simple hysterectomy, we can often do it through a minimally invasive approach,” MacGee says. He highlights the tools in Atlantic Canadian hospitals that contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of the cancers. “We’re lucky to have two da Vinci robots, we also have great laparoscopy tools, some women will require a laparotomy,” he says. “That’s where things start, but then another, say, 30 to 40 per cent will require some radiation as part of their treatment and maybe 20 per cent of patients will require chemotherapy or immunotherapy.” The oncologist says awareness is key for early detection, which leads to “excellent” outcomes. “You know, upwards of 90 per cent of our early-stage cancers are cured with a hysterectomy alone,” McGee says. “Knowledge is power, and we want to empower women to take their symptoms seriously and get assessed, go see your family doctor, go see your GP, have a simple office-based test,” he explains of the new awareness initiative. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
