Endometrial Cancer Patients Increased by 48.2% Over 5 Years... 4 out of 10 Are in Their 40s

National Health Insurance Service '2016~2020 Endometriosis Health Insurance Treatment Status'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The number of endometriosis patients, nearly half of whom are in their 40s, has increased by approximately 48.2% over the past five years.

On the 23rd, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) announced the status of health insurance treatment for endometriosis from 2016 to 2020 using health insurance treatment data.

According to the NHIS, the number of patients treated for endometriosis increased by 48.2% (50,494 people) from 104,689 in 2016 to 155,183 in 2020. The average annual growth rate was 10.3%.

The total health insurance medical expenses for endometriosis patients also increased by 79.6% (45 billion KRW) in 2020 compared to 2016. The total medical expenses were 56.6 billion KRW in 2016 and 101.6 billion KRW in 2020.

By type of treatment, more patients received outpatient care than inpatient care. In 2020, 17,446 patients were hospitalized for endometriosis, while 152,152 patients received outpatient treatment.

As of 2020, by age group, those in their 40s accounted for the largest share at 44.9% (69,706 patients), followed by those in their 30s at 25.8%, and those in their 50s at 17.4%. Patients aged 80 and above were the fewest, with 40 patients.

However, the age group with the highest annual growth rate was those in their 60s. The number of endometriosis patients in their 60s increased by 120.4%, from 920 in 2016 to 2,028 in 2020.

The number of endometriosis patients per 100,000 people increased by 46.4%, from 414 in 2016 to 606 in 2020. The age group with the highest number of patients per 100,000 people was also those in their 40s (1,712 patients).

Endometriosis is one of the diseases that commonly occurs in women of reproductive age, but its exact cause has not been clearly identified. Major symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and pain during bowel movements just before or during menstruation.

Endometriosis requires continuous treatment and management due to its chronic course. Professor Seo Jong-wook of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at National Health Insurance Ilsan Hospital emphasized, "Endometriosis can cause adhesions of intra-abdominal organs leading to ovum capture disorders, and excessive inflammation can impair endometrial function (causing fertilization and implantation abnormalities), so it is especially important to pay attention if planning to have children."

Even with appropriate treatment, if treatment continuity is poor, the cumulative recurrence rate of endometriosis within five years can increase up to 60%. Professor Seo explained that repeated surgeries can also cause infertility or premature menopause, so leaving the condition untreated is risky.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.