Endometrial cancer—carcinoma of the lining of the uterus—is the most common gynecologic malignancy and accounts for about 13 percent of all malignancies occurring in women. There are about 34,000 cases of endometrial cancer diagnosed in the United States each year but, encouragingly, there has been a significant decrease in the number of women who develop endometrial cancer each year since 1975.
Similarly, the death rate from endometrial cancer has steadily declined from 1950 to 1985, falling more than 60 percent. Since this cancer is usually diagnosed at an early stage, the cure rate is high, with a five-year survival of 83 percent in 1985.
Types All endometrial carcinomas arise from the glands of the lining of the uterus. Adenocarcinoma accounts for 75 percent of all endometrial carcinomas. Endometrial adenocarcinomas that contain benign squamous cells are known as adenoacanthomas and account for 17 percent of endometrial cancers.
