Endometrial%20cancer Signs and Symptoms
Definition
- Also known as uterine cancer, cancer of the corpus uteri, uterine corpus cancer, endometrial carcinoma
- The 6th most common malignancy worldwide
- The most common gynecologic cancer in developed countries; 2nd most common in developing countries
- More commonly presents in individuals >50 years of age
- Usually diagnosed in its early stages and still localized, with high survival rates
Etiology
- Endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (atypical endometrial hyperplasia) is the precursor lesion to endometrial cancer according to the 1994 World Health Organization (WHO) and International Endometrial Collaborative Group schemas
- Papillary serous carcinoma accounts for 10% of cases, but comes with high mortality rates (40%)
- Clear cell histologic type is rare (3%) but with poor prognosis
Risk Factors
- Age ≥55 years
- Excess estrogen (eg estrogen therapy, estrogen-producing tumors, early menarche, late menopause)
- Obesity; high body mass index
- Metabolic syndrome (eg hypertension, DM)
- Nulliparity, infertility
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Genetic mutation (eg hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer/Lynch syndrome)
- Family history of endometrial cancer
- Smoking
Prognostic Factors
- Age
- International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage
- Depth of myometrial invasion
- Tumor differentiation grade
- Tumor type
- Lymphovascular space invasion