Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer is a cancer that has developed from the endometrium, which is the inner lining of the uterus. Nearly all endometrial cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers of glandular cells). Over 75 percent are endometrioid adenocarcinomas. Endometrioid cancers are a specific type of endometrial cancers. Papillary serous carcinoma (about 10 percent of endometrial cancers) and clear cell carcinoma (less than 5 percent) are less common types of endometrial cancer which often grow and spread rapidly.

Three less common uterine cancers which are also called uterine sarcomas can involve the endometrium. These include stromal sarcomas which develop in the stroma (supporting connective tissue) of the endometrium, malignant mixed mesodermal tumors, which may combine features of endometrial carcinoma and those of sarcomas, and leiomyosarcomas which start in the muscular wall of the uterus.

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