The short explanation
The main early sign of womb (endometrial) cancer is unexpected vaginal bleeding: any bleeding after the menopause, bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex, or periods that become much heavier or more frequent than your usual. Most unexpected bleeding turns out to have another cause — hormones, polyps, fibroids, infection, contraception — but it should always be checked rather than waited out. Womb cancer is often found early precisely because bleeding prompts women to come in, and it is more treatable at that stage.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- It is most common after menopause. Things that raise the chance include carrying extra weight, diabetes, PCOS with very infrequent periods over many years, never having been pregnant, and some family histories. Bleeding after menopause is the most important sign, even if it is only a spot or a pink stain.
- Checks usually include an examination and an ultrasound; sometimes a small sample of the lining of the womb is taken. Cervical screening does not test for womb cancer.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot tell you what is causing your bleeding or whether you need a scan or biopsy. It cannot interpret a report of your womb lining.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- What could be causing this bleeding, and what tests do I need?
- Does a pap smear or HPV test check for this, or is something else needed?
- Does my weight, diabetes or PCOS change my risk?
- When will I get the results, and who will explain them?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
- Get emergency care now (call 112 or 108) for heavy bleeding soaking a pad every hour for two hours or more, fainting or feeling faint, or bleeding with severe pain.
- See a clinician within days to two weeks for any bleeding after menopause, bleeding after sex, or new bleeding between periods — even if it has stopped.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Womb (uterus) cancer NHS
- Uterine cancer National Cancer Institute
- Uterine cancer MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine)
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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