The Pathways in Endometrial Carcinogenesis and an Overview of its Histology, Grade and Stage

Abstract

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common female genital tract cancer in the developed countries. It is classified as Type I and II endometrial cancer. Understanding of the pathogenesis of each type plays a pivotal role in identifying their precursors. The histological subtype, grade and stage guide the treatment strategies and portend the prognosis in endometrial carcinoma. Hysterectomy is regarded curative in early stage disease. By contrast, uterine serous carcinoma is the most aggressive histologic subtype associated with a low 5-year overall survival rate. Substantial rise in uterine corpus carcinoma parallels with the increase in obesity and diabetes. As they share similar etiologies, measures can be adopted to tackle the modifiable risk factors. No screening consensus is available for low or average risk populations.