Womb cancer

What is the womb and what does it do? 

The womb (uterus) is a muscular, pear-shaped organ found in your lower abdomen, between your bladder and back passage (rectum).

It is part of the female reproductive system, together with the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the cervix and the vagina. The medical term for the womb is the uterus.

The lining of your womb is called the endometrium. Every month this lining thickens, grows and then falls away from the womb as a monthly period. During pregnancy, your womb protects the growing baby.

There are also layers of muscle in the womb, called the myometrium. 

The lower part of the womb is the cervix, which is also known as 'the neck of the womb'.

Although the cervix is part of the womb, cancer of the cervix is diagnosed and treated differently to womb cancer.