Cancer occurs when cells in an area of the body grow abnormally. The endometrium is the lining layer of the uterine cavity where most uterine cancers begin because of cancerous changes in the lining. In the most common type of uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, cells in the endometrial lining grow out of control, may invade the muscle of the uterus and sometimes spreads outside of the uterus (ovaries, lymph nodes, abdomen).
Uterine sarcomas are a type of uterine cancer in which malignant cells form in the muscle of the uterus (leiomyoscarcoma) or in the network of support cells in the uterine lining (stromal sarcomas and carcinosarcomas). Only about 5% of uterine cancers are uterine sarcomas, but they tend to have more aggressive clinical behavior and can spread quickly.
Endometrial cancer may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Depending on your situation, your treatment team may recommend using a combination of treatments to treat your cancer.
The most common treatment for endometrial cancer is surgery and it should be performed by a surgeon with experience in gynecology and oncology.
When endometrial cancer is diagnosed, it is vital to determine if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus. Your treatment team may do more tests to determine if the cancer has spread. In addition, during surgery, certain additional steps should be performed to determine the extent of the disease.
Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy x-rays, or other types of radiation, to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing.
