Roughly 130,000 women nationwide are undergoing treatment at hospitals for endometriosis, a figure higher than that for other diseases such as cancer or diabetes, according to results of a survey released Wednesday by the Health and Welfare Ministry.

The number of endometriosis cases reported annually is believed to be rising in recent years, and some observers have linked the trend to the effects of endocrine disrupters. Wednesday's probe was the first attempt to track on a nationwide basis the disease, which causes abnormal growth of uterine tissue.

A ministry study group selected about 800 out of the roughly 10,500 hospitals across the country that had obstetrics and gynecology facilities and surveyed women who either were treated or hospitalized for endometriosis during October 1997. It then estimated the figure for the entire country.