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Endometrial Cancer Stages and Types

Q: Stages of endometrial cancer

The stage of a cancer refers to whether it has spread beyond the uterus, and if it has, the location in the body where it has spread. Measuring the stage of endometrial cancer helps doctors decide how to treat it. Doctors often utilize the information from surgery to assign a stage, however they may also order additional tests such as chest XRAYS, chest, pelvic and abdominal CT, MRI or PET scans to learn if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus. Treatment often includes surgery, but can also include radiation, hormone and/or chemotherapy. People with advanced cancers (stage 3 or 4) may also benefit from immunotherapy or targeted therapy.

Endometrial cancer is treated according to its stage and subtype. Learn more about the different stages and subtypes of endometrial cancer.

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Measuring endometrial cancer stages and subtypes

After a biopsy or surgery confirms endometrial cancer, a pathologist will look at the cell type and perform tests. Additional tests will be ordered to look for cancer spread through the local tissue or to distant organs. Together, these tests provide clues on how to best treat the cancer.

Stages of endometrial cancer

The of a cancer refers to whether it has spread beyond the uterus, and if it has, the location in the body where it has spread. Measuring the of endometrial cancer helps doctors decide how to treat it. Doctors often utilize the information from surgery to assign a , however they may also order additional tests such as chest XRAYS, chest, pelvic and abdominal CT, or PET scans to learn if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus.

Treatment often includes surgery, but can also include radiation, hormone and/or chemotherapy. People with advanced cancers ( 3 or 4) may also benefit from or .

	Description
1	The cancer is only in the uterus.
2	The cancer has spread to the cervix, but has not spread to any .
3	The cancer has spread outside of the uterus to nearby tissue; this may include the outer lining of the uterus, the ovaries, , outer lining of the rectum, and nearby . The cancer has not spread to distant areas such as the lung, liver, bones or distant .
4 ()	The cancer has spread to distant areas such as the lung, liver, bones or distant .
Stages of endometrial cancer

Subtypes of endometrial cancer

There are several different types of endometrial cancer, based on how the cells look under a microscope. Treatment may vary for each subtype.

Subtype	Description
endometrioid	This is the most common subtype. It can vary in aggressiveness based on grade. Grade is how aggressive tumors look under the microscope. While grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinomas have a better prognosis, grade 3 tumors are more likely to spread and recur. Low grade tumors can respond well to hormonal therapy. This subtype can be seen with and other inherited mutations linked to endometrial cancer.
carcinosarcoma	This is a rare and aggressive type of endometrial cancer. There is a slightly increased risk for this subtype in people with a or mutation. This type of cancer may also be seen in people with and other inherited mutations. This type of cancer tends not to respond well to hormone therapy.
papillary serous carcinoma	This is a rare subtype that may be more likely to occur in people with a mutation. This type of cancer also is less likely to be seen in people with . This type of cancer tends not to respond well to hormone therapy.
clear cell carcinoma	This is a rare and aggressive type of endometrial cancer that does not typically respond to hormone therapy. This type of cancer may also be seen in people with and other inherited mutations.
undifferentiated or dedifferentiated endometrial carcinoma	This is a rare and aggressive type of endometrial cancer.
Subtypes of endometrial cancer