| The following article features coverage from the SGO 2022 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer. Click here to read more of Cancer Therapy Advisor’s conference coverage. |
The incidence of high-risk uterine cancer is increasing in the United States, particularly among Black patients, according to a study presented at the SGO 2022 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer.
This finding may be partially explained by increasing obesity rates, and it may be time to reconsider the role of obesity in uterine cancer, according to Cortney Eakin, MD, of the University of California, Los Angeles, who presented the study at the meeting.
For this study, Dr Eakin and colleagues analyzed data from the United States Cancer Statistics database and the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System survey. Between 2001 and 2017, there were 778,891 patients diagnosed with uterine cancer.
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Over the study period, the incidence of uterine cancer increased regardless of race. However, the rate of increase was 3.6-fold higher in Black patients than in White patients. The average annual percent change (AAPC) was 2.31% and 0.63%, respectively.
The AAPC in high-risk endometrial cancer was 4.03% for Black patients and 2.53% for White patients. The AAPC in low-risk endometrial cancer was 1.3% for Black patients and -0.52% for White patients.
The researchers also looked at high-risk histologies individually. For serous carcinoma, the AAPC was 6.27% in Black patients and 4.31% in White patients. For clear cell carcinoma, the AAPC was 2.51% and 0.21%, respectively. For carcinosarcoma, the AAPC was 1.88% and 1.01%, respectively.
If these trends continue, the researchers projected that, by 2030, the incidence of high-risk uterine cancer in Black patients will be 2.8-folder higher than the incidence of low-risk uterine cancer (AAPC, 4.03% vs 1.3%).
The researchers also noted that, over the time period studied, the incidence of obesity increased for the entire cohort. The increase was higher for White patients, but Black patients had a higher incidence of obesity overall. The AAPC was 2.4% in White patients and 1.6% in Black patients.
Dr Eakin noted that this study has several limitations, including the lack of central pathology review and patient-level data. Furthermore, the data are not corrected for hysterectomy rates, and the projection model assumes that uterine cancer rates will remain unchanged until 2030.
However, Dr Eakin noted, this analysis encompasses 2 large databases and spans nearly 20 years. It is also the first study to correlate obesity, histology, and racial disparities, she said.
Disclosures: Dr Eakin reported having no conflicts of interest.
Read more of Cancer Therapy Advisor’s coverage of SGO 2022 by visiting the conference page.
Reference
Eakin CM, Liao C-I, Cotangco K, et al. Alarming trends in high-risk uterine cancer histologies in Black women in the US: Is obesity responsible? Presented at SGO 2022; March 18-21, 2022. Abstract 138.
