Causes

Like all cancers, endometrial cancer develops when abnormal cells grow out of control. Cancer cells develop because of damage to DNA--a substance in every cell that directs all activities. Damaged DNA can be inherited or a person's DNA can become damaged from an environmental exposure, like smoking. Normally, when DNA becomes damaged the body is able to repair it. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired. It can grow and travel to other parts of the body and replace normal tissue. This is called metastasis (spread of cancer).

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