Dr. John Chan, gynecologic oncologist and researcher at Sutter’s CPMC has focused much of his career on studying how best to prevent and treat cancers commonly impacting women, including uterine cancer.
Research shows the number of women diagnosed with uterine cancers has doubled over the last 20 years, and the number of individuals who die of this cancer every year has almost quadrupled over the same period.
Dr. John Chung-Kai Chan
“The number of deaths from this cancer has surpassed ovarian cancers in women,” says Dr. Chan “Uterine cancers, almost all of which are cancers of the inner lining of uterus, is also poised to surpass colorectal as one of the top three cancers impacting American women.”
A Closer Look at a Rising Threat
“The disease isn’t just growing, it’s changing,” he says.
There are several factors contributing to uterine cancer’s prevalence. One of which, according to Dr. Chan, is the increase in obesity.
“To decrease the growing rate of this cancer, we need to develop novel non-invasive techniques to detect and remove precancerous lesions such as hyperplasia lesions, like polyps in the colon, and remove them before they become cancer,” explains Dr. Chan. “In addition to this, early screening and detection may also help reduce mortality by finding these cancers at earlier stages.”
As of 2025, there are no standard screenings for uterine cancer, unlike other cancers such as colon and breast cancer. The biopsies for uterine cancer are effective but are minimally invasive and can be uncomfortable or painful, limiting the use of the procedure, he explains.
Beyond the lack of standardized screening methods to aid earlier identification of uterine cancers, deeper patterns are emerging: genetic differences among racial and ethnic groups of women and higher BMIs have been linked to increased risk. Dr. Chan’s research suggests biology plays a larger role than previously believed.
Data and DNA: Research at Sutter a Unique Advantage for New Knowledge
“Our research has demonstrated that uterine cancer cell types may vary based on race, ethnicity and obesity, suggesting that these factors can significantly influence the type of endometrial cancer diagnosed in different patient populations,” explains Dr. Chan.
Dr. Chan’s research in a 2023 JAMA Network study, suggests Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with more aggressive cell types of uterine cancer. Furthermore, there are significant differences in the subgroups of Hispanic and Asians that are at risk of these cancers, likely based on diet and genetic factors.
“These trends and patterns suggest uterine cancer develops and progresses differently in women based on their unique genetic makeup, and is driven by factors like BMI,” said Dr. Chan. “Our team at CPMC is exploring specifics of the ‘why and how’ of these differences, to help tailor care and improve outcomes so more women may benefit from the findings of our research.”
“Sutter is in a unique position to take a comprehensive look at the uterine cancer rise,” Dr. Chan says. “Our system has one of the largest, most diverse patient cohorts in the nation, providing us novel opportunities to explore the impact of genetics and social drivers of health on cancer risk. Our teams have direct access to integrated biobanks, data and tumor samples. We can study the health impact of these social drivers because of the connectivity and scale that Sutter leverages.”
Furthermore, his research confirmed that seeing a specialist, like a gynecologic oncologist, for testing, surgery and treatment can help improve survival for women with uterine cancer.
A Bold Vision for the Future of Cancer Care
Dr. Chan and his team aim to increase early detection of uterine cancer when more care options are available. They are also bringing awareness on a larger scale to uterine cancer’s rise, noting the public health impact of increasing obesity rates and how lifestyle factors increase cancer risk, especially in young women.
“We need to innovate screening practices,” he says. “There is a real opportunity to collaborate with biotech to develop, test and scale early detection tools so more patients may benefit.”
At the annual meeting of SGO and ASCO in 2025, Dr. Chan and his team presented their findings on endometrial cancer trends and treatment options. He hopes to continue shifting public perspective, raising awareness and championing science for solutions to help solve this critical issue.
“We want to continue educating our peers and the public on how the standard of care for women’s cancers needs to evolve,” said Dr. Chan. “Our purpose and what drives this research forward is the vision to bring our patients personalized and evidence-based care.”
Learn more about Dr. Chan’s research and find women’s cancer care services at Sutter Health.
