Endometrial cancer is a cancer that begins in the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium. The disease is rare in women under the age of 45, with around 3 in 4 cases in the US diagnosed in women aged 55 and over.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), around 54,870 women will be diagnosed with endometrial cancer or uterine sarcomas this year, and 10,170 will die from the conditions, Medicalnewstoday.com reports.

Though it is unclear exactly what causes endometrial cancer, past studies claim hormonal imbalances, diabetes, obesity and an unhealthy diet are some important risk factors.

In this latest study - published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention - Melissa A. Merritt, PhD, of Imperial College London in the UK, and colleagues set out to investigate how dietary factors affect the risk of endometrial cancer.

Three to four cups of coffee daily reduced endometrial cancer risk by up to 19%.

The team analyzed 1,303 women with endometrial cancer who were a part of the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study. The women completed dietary questionnaires, and the researchers assessed the link between 84 foods and nutrients consumed and the risk of endometrial cancer.

From this, the team identified nine foods and nutrients that could be associated with risk of endometrial cancer: total fat, monounsaturated fat, phosphorus, carbohydrates, yogurt, butter, potatoes, cheese and coffee.

Next, the researchers analyzed 1,531 women with endometrial cancer who were a part of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) or Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII). These women also completed dietary questionnaires.

To validate their findings from the EPIC cohort, the team assessed the association between consumption of the nine foods and nutrients and risk of endometrial cancer in the NHS/NHSII cohorts.

The researchers found that drinking three cups of coffee a day reduced endometrial cancer risk by 19% among women in the EPIC study, compared with women who drank less than one cup of coffee a day. Among women in the NHS/NHSII cohorts, drinking four cups of coffee a day reduced the risk of endometrial cancer by 18%, compared with those who never drank coffee.