The hypothesis that white women with endometrial cancer survive longer than black women with this disease was evaluated in a retrospective analysis of a population-based, prospective cohort study. All female residents of metropolitan Atlanta with a first diagnosis of primary endometrial cancer from 1978 through 1982 were eligible for inclusion. The 628 white and 105 black women were followed up through June 1984 to determine survivorship. Race was evaluated as a prognostic factor with univariate, multivariate, and excess death rate analyses. Overall, an estimated 89.2% of whites and 61.6% of blacks survived 3 years from the time of diagnosis. Although black women tended to have more advanced disease at the time of diagnosis and a higher proportion of undifferentiated malignancies, the racial difference in survival persisted after adjustment for these factors. When initial therapy was considered, race remained a significant prognostic determinant among women who did not receive radiation therapy.