Australia's fastest-growing women's cancer is largely preventable -- yet most women have never heard of it.

Australia’s fastest-growing women’s cancer is largely preventable — yet most women have never heard of it 

National data confirms uterine cancer incidence has more than doubled in 25 years, with diagnoses among younger women projected to rise by up to 60 per cent by 2035. ANZGOG is calling for urgent action. 

Every day in Australia, close to 10 women are diagnosed with uterine cancer, and two lose their lives from the disease. Despite this, 94 per cent of Australian women have never heard of uterine cancers (including endometrial cancer or uterine sarcoma). 

As Uterine Cancer Awareness Month begins this June, the Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG) is sharing national findings and calling for greater awareness, investment in prevention, and research funding to reverse the rise of a cancer that, in up to 60 per cent of cases, is preventable. 

The findings are drawn from the publicly available State of the Nation: Uterine Cancers in Australia — Australia’s first and only comprehensive national report on uterine cancers. The report brings together the latest national data, clinical evidence, and consumer insights to present, for the first time, a complete picture of the scale, impact, and trajectory of uterine cancers in this country. 

Rising incidence, rising risk 

The State of the Nation report reveals that uterine cancer incidence has more than doubled over the past 25 years, with 3,507 Australians diagnosed and 709 lives lost every year. More than 44,000 women are expected to be diagnosed between 2025 and 2035, with projected deaths exceeding 8,900 over the same period. 

Of particular concern is the rate of increase among younger women. Diagnoses among women aged 25–44 are projected to rise by up to 68 per cent by 2035, a demographic shift that challenges the longstanding perception of uterine cancer as a disease of older women.  

• Women aged 25–34: diagnoses projected to increase 54 per cent by 2035. 

• Women aged 35–44: diagnoses projected to increase 68 per cent by 2035. 

• Women aged 45–64: diagnoses projected to increase 24 per cent by 2035.  

• More than 14,400 women in Australia are currently living with a uterine cancer diagnosis. 

• The projected health and economic cost to Australia is $26 billion between 2025 and 2035. 

“The data in the State of the Nation report is a wake-up call. The number of uterine cancers is growing faster than any other women’s cancer type in Australia, it is disproportionately affecting younger women, and in many cases it is preventable. We have a window of opportunity to act, and we must take it.” — Professor Clare Scott AM, ANZGOG Chair 

Prevention is possible however awareness is critically low 

The report identifies that up to 60 per cent of uterine cancer cases are preventable through management of known risk factors, and earlier detection. Major modifiable risk factors include living with obesity, hormonal imbalances, and type 2 diabetes. Yet awareness of the disease remains critically and persistently low. 

National research cited in the report found that 94 per cent of Australian women are unsure what a uterine cancer is. Stigma around reproductive health, low health literacy, and a lack of dedicated public awareness campaigns contribute to diagnostic delays and avoidable deaths. 

ANZGOG is calling for greater national awareness and education initiatives, including clear messaging on risk factors, warning signs, and the importance of timely investigation of symptoms. 

• The most common symptom is abnormal uterine bleeding, particularly post-menopausal bleeding. 

• Other warning signs include persistent pelvic pain, abdominal swelling, bloating, and unexplained fatigue. 

• There is currently no national screening program for uterine cancer in Australia. 

A family’s call for change: the story of Simone Crerar 

The consequences of low awareness and missed diagnoses are brought into focus by the experience of Simone Crerar, who died on 3 July 2025 at the age of 56 at her home on the NSW South Coast. Over a nine-week period, Simone experienced severe and progressively worsening abdominal pain, swelling, and fatigue. Despite escalating symptoms, her condition was assessed as uterine fibroids. A CT scan and ultrasound both returned a fibroid diagnosis. No definitive cancer testing was undertaken. Simone died before a specialist appointment she had been waiting for could take place. A post-mortem examination confirmed she had metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of uterine cancer that had spread to her liver. 

“No woman should die undiagnosed and without proper support while actively seeking medical help. By sharing Simone’s story, our family hopes to raise greater awareness of uterine cancers and the importance of properly investigating persistent symptoms — so that other families do not experience the same loss.” — Scott and Stephen Crerar, Simone’s brothers 

Critically underfunded and a cancer of inequity 

Uterine cancer remains amongst Australia’s poorest funded cancers. Between 2003 and 2020, uterine cancer received $18 million in research funding, compared to $442 million for breast cancer over the same period. 

Adjusting for incidence rates this represents a > 400% funding gap per person diagnosed. As a result, women with advanced uterine cancer have > 10 times fewer treatment options than women with metastatic breast cancer. 

The report also documents significant inequities in outcomes across population groups: 

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 1.2 times more likely to be diagnosed and to die from uterine cancer than non-Indigenous women. 

• Women from low socioeconomic backgrounds are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed and 2.1 times more likely to die. 

• Women in regional and remote areas are 1.2 times more likely to be diagnosed and 1.5 times more likely to die than women in urban areas. 

• Addressing these inequities could improve outcomes for more than 22,000 women by 2035. 

“Uterine cancer does not affect all women equally. The inequities documented in the State of the Nation report are not inevitable — they are the result of chronic underinvestment and a lack of national prioritisation. ANZGOG is committed to working with government, clinicians, and communities to change that.”— Professor Clare Scott AM, ANZGOG Chair  

ANZGOG’s call to action 

The State of the Nation report presents five priority areas for urgent national action: 

• Halve the incidence through national awareness campaigns, risk factor education, and targeted prevention programs. 

• Eliminate inequity by developing culturally safe and equitable models of care for priority populations. 

• Deliver precision care for every woman through expanded access to molecular profiling, clinical trials, and novel therapies. 

• Support every woman to live well through dedicated survivorship models and consistent psychosocial support. 

• Invest in research and data through prioritised funding for uterine cancer research and improved data collection, linkage and reporting 

“The State of the Nation report gives us the evidence base to act. ANZGOG is calling on government, researchers, clinicians, and the community to work together on a coordinated national response — one that treats uterine cancer with the urgency and investment this disease demands, and that ensures every Australian woman has access to the best possible care.” — Professor Clare Scott AM, ANZGOG Chair 

To download the report, please visit: https://www.anzgog.org.au/state-of-the-nation-uterine-cancer-2025/ 

- ENDS – For more information: [email protected] +61 2 0416 282 464 www.anzgog.org.au 

About ANZGOG: The Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG) is the peak national research organisation dedicated to improving outcomes and quality of life for women with gynaecological cancers. Through the conduct and promotion of clinical trials and multidisciplinary research, ANZGOG advances understanding of the causes, prevention, and treatment of gynaecological cancers across Australia and New Zealand. www.anzgog.org.au 

About the State of the Nation: Uterine Cancers in Australia report: The State of the Nation: Uterine Cancers in Australia is Australia’s first and only comprehensive national analysis of uterine cancers. Drawing on the latest national data, clinical evidence, and lived experience, the report explores risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, projections, and survivorship. It identifies priority actions to strengthen prevention, drive earlier detection, improve treatment, and deliver equitable care. To access the report, visit here.  

About uterine cancer: Uterine cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the uterus grow out of control. The two main subtypes are endometrial cancers (approximately 95 per cent of cases) and uterine sarcomas (rarer and often more aggressive). Major risk factors include obesity, hormonal imbalances, type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and genetic predispositions such as Lynch syndrome. There is no national screening program for uterine cancer in Australia.  

Simone Crerar case study: The Crerar family has provided consent for Simone’s story to be shared publicly. A full case study biography is available on request. For interview requests with Scott and Stephen Crerar, please contact the ANZGOG media team.