**1. Introduction**

Endometrial cancer is a potentially preventable disease but still many new cases occur each year. In the USA, the incidence of endometrial cancer has increased by more than 30% over the past 20 years. [1] Globally, about 4% of all cancers in women are endometrial cancers that occur predominantly in postmenopausal women, although many are now also diagnosed in younger women. [2] It is the leading gynecological malignancy with approximately 47,130 women diagnosed in 2012 in the USA. [3] Endometrial cancer is often diagnosed at an early stage due to abnormal vaginal bleeding which occurs as a prominent clinical feature in most women. Two types of endometrial cancer can be distinguished. Type 1, occurring in approx‐ imately 80% of women, carries a better prognosis, has predominantly endometrioid histology and is well or moderately differentiated (grading G1-G2), and Type 2 includes worse progno‐ sis, poorly differentiated (grade G3) carcinomas, like serous and clear cell carcinomas. [4] The epidemiology of Type 1 endometrial cancer is fairly well understood: 1) prolonged unopposed estrogen exposure is the endocrine background of this hormonally regulated neoplasm; 2) hereditary factors are associated with an increased risk and high parity and later age at last birth are protective [5, 6]; 3) the role of obesity as an important risk factor is well established; 4) combined oral contraceptives are protective, whereas 5) hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the menopause is an important risk factor and the risk increases markedly with the use of estrogen only and sequential HRT. Understanding the causative role of these conditions constitutes the basis for prevention strategies. The rising obesity epidemic and decreased fertility are likely to result in a higher incidence of endometrial cancer and may become an important public health problem globally in the coming years. This communication will focus on the risk groups and will formulate some strategies for the prevention of cancer of the endometrium in women at increased risk.

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