No. Fibroids are benign tumors that often develop in the wall of the uterus. They are not cancerous, but may occasionally become malignant. However, they can require a hysterectomy or other treatment. Fibroids are often referred to as tumors or growths by medical professionals. Women should understand that these tumors do not mean cancer. If a hysterectomy is performed for fibroids, it is for other medical reasons, not the removal of cancer.

What causes endometrial cancer?

The exact cause of endometrial cancer is not known. However, the female hormone estrogen seems to play an important role. The ovaries are sex glands that produce eggs and usually produce two kinds of female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. The balance between these hormones changes every month during a woman's menstrual cycle, producing a woman's monthly periods and maintaining the health of the endometrium. Increased risk of endometrial cancer can come from any shift toward more estrogen in the hormonal balance, including starting menstruation at an early age, late menopause and few or no pregnancies. Obesity is also a risk factor because fat tissue can increase the body's estrogen levels.

Does diabetes increase a woman's risk of endometrial cancer?

Yes. For unknown reasons, women with diabetes are more likely to develop endometrial cancer than those without diabetes. Some doctors attribute this increased cancer risk to excess body weight because many people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. However, this theory does not explain why women with type 1 diabetes, which is not characterized by excess body weight, also have higher endometrial cancer rates.