New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) Uterine cancer represents a significant and growing global health challenge, experts said as they called upon governments and multilateral institutions to explicitly integrate it into global and national non-communicable diseases and women’s health efforts.
A global position statement on endometrial cancer released on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month by the International Gynaecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) stated that uterine cancer is the second most common type of the five gynaecological cancers, yet it remains absent from global health priorities.
Unlike cervical or ovarian cancer, uterine cancer has not benefited from widespread public awareness, political attention, or coordinated efforts to improve prevention, diagnosis and care, according to the report titled “Global Call to Action: Reducing Disparities in Uterine Cancer Care”.
Among the authors is Abhishek Shankar, an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at AIIMS, Delhi and chair of advocacy committee at IGCS, whose contribution highlighted the challenges and opportunities in low and middle-income settings.
The other contributors to the position statement are Dr Brian Slomovitz, Gynaecologic Oncologist, Mount Sinai Medical Centre, Miami Beach, USA; Dr Ros Glasspool, Consultant, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Senior Lecturer, Glasgow, UK; and Dr Vivek Podder, Gynaecologic Oncologist Research Fellow, Mount Sinai Medical Centre, Miami Beach, USA.
“This lack of visibility is not accidental. Stigma around gynaecological health, combined with misconceptions that endometrial cancer is less severe or primarily lifestyle-related, has contributed to inaction,” the report stated.
The impact of this includes limited advancements in research, delayed development of tailored guidelines, delayed diagnoses and significant gaps in access to timely and effective care, especially for women in underserved or higher-risk communities.
The authors argued that early diagnosis leads to significantly better outcomes, but that systemic barriers, such as lack of awareness, delayed presentation, limited access to diagnostics and advanced therapies, continue to perpetuate disparities.
“It is time to break the silence around uterine cancer and bring it onto the global health agenda,” the report said.
In their call to action, Dr Shankar and other contributors emphasised four strategic priorities — raising awareness of risk factors and early symptoms, removing barriers to timely diagnosis, improving access to quality treatment, and strengthening support systems for survivors.
They further advocated for a more inclusive clinical research that involves underserved populations so that new insights and therapies are equitable in their reach.
The position statement holds special significance for India, where uterine cancer is showing rising incidence, particularly in urban and peri-urban populations, Dr Shankar told PTI.
“Changes in diet, sedentary lifestyles, rising prevalence of obesity, diabetes and hypertension, all known risk factors, have made India uniquely vulnerable to an upward burden of uterine cancer over the coming years,” he said.
The authors’ focus on eliminating disparities strikes a chord in Indian settings, where access to high-quality gynaecologic oncology services remains uneven between metropolitan centres and rural or resource-poor districts.
In India, patients come at advanced stages, often due to social stigma, low awareness of early symptoms (such as abnormal uterine bleeding or pelvic discomfort), and limited access to specialised diagnostic facilities, Dr Shankar pointed out.
The recommendations from the position statement called on Indian policymakers, healthcare providers, non-governmental organisations and community leaders to intensify awareness campaigns, strengthen referral networks, scale up diagnostic capacity and ensure equitable access to novel therapies and survivorship care even in underserved regions.
In addition to it, Dr Shankar said that India should participate more actively in regionally inclusive clinical trials, so that Indian women are not left out of advances in molecular testing, immunotherapy and fertility-preserving interventions.
Such participation would help tailor evidence to Indian populations, overcoming the research divide that often limits the applicability of global data to Indian settings, he said. PTI PLB DIV DIV
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