Cancerous growth in the uterus (a female reproductive organ) is the most common gynecologic cancer. The prevalence of uterine cancer among menopausal women is higher. Women at age of 60 are often diagnosed with uterine cancer. The American Cancer Society has expected a new uterine cancer diagnosis rate among American women to be nearly 66,570 in 2021. Endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma are two types of uterine cancer.
Endometrial cancer develops in the endometrium (uterine lining) lining. Almost 90% of uterine cancer is diagnosed as endometrial cancer.
Uterine sarcoma is a rarer type of uterine cancer that develops in the uterine muscles or other adjoining uterine tissues.
Endometrial cancer
The endometrium is the part of the uterus. Therefore, cancer growth in the endometrium is considered a type of uterine cancer. Gynecologic cancer occurs in the uterus, cervix, vulva, vagina, ovaries, and fallopian tubes are considered endometrial cancer. Moreover, 80% of endometrial cancers start forming as an unstoppable cellular growth at the inner lining of the uterus and are considered adenocarcinomas. Endometroid carcinoma elucidation for most cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma.
Other types of endometrial cancer include:
Serous adenocarcinoma is a type of endometrial cancer that tends to spread to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body.
Adenosquamous carcinoma is a rare type of uterine cancer. It is quite similar to endometrial adenocarcinoma and squamous cells carcinoma that lines the uterine outer layer.
Uterine carcinosarcoma has cancer cells that are similar to endometrial cancer and sarcoma. Uterine carcinosarcoma has a high tendency to spread in the lymph nodes and other parts of the body.
The doctor classifies the type of uterine carcinoma based on the histological analysis of cancerous cellular structure under a microscope. Different epidemiological studies, surveillance, and end results report stated that the five-year survival rate of all combined stages of endometrial cancer is almost 81%. However, uterine cancer survival rate depends upon the spreading nature of cancer. In most cases, endometrial cancers are localized (95%) and minimal scope of cancer spreading (18%) to other parts of the body. The five-year survival rate of uterine cancer is also based on how long women have the same type of cancer and the staging of cancer.
Uterine sarcoma
Cancer development in the uterine muscle wall is considered as uterine sarcomas. Almost 4% of uterine cancer are a type of uterine sarcomas. Uterine sarcoma is further sub-divided based on development pattern, changes over time, and treatment plan. Clinically uterine sarcomas are classified based on the type of cells in which cancers begin. These include:
Uterine leiomyosarcoma is the most common uterine sarcoma that forms in the uterine muscular wall or myometrium. Almost 2% of uterine cancers are a type of uterine leiomyosarcoma.
Endometrial stromal sarcomas develop in the connective tissue that supports the endometrium. The rate of growth of this type of uterine cancer is relatively very slow. Almost 1% of uterine cancers are a type of endometrial stromal sarcomas.
Undifferentiated sarcoma is a rare subtype of uterine sarcomas. This type of cancer has similarities with endometrial stromal sarcoma, but it’s more aggressive in nature. Therefore, the growth and spreading rate of undifferentiated sarcoma is quicker than endometrial stromal sarcoma. Less than 1% of uterine cancers belong to this type.
The five-year survival rates of uterine sarcoma vary based on its type.
- 95% of endometrial stromal sarcoma
- 41% leiomyosarcoma
- 43% undifferentiated sarcoma
