Endometrial vs UPSC

Hi Jeanette,  how funny, I have been wondering the same thing, I have stage IIIC2 endometriosis  and UPSC sounds like my cancer, so i hope we both get the answer to your question.   I will keep in touch and if I get the answer I will make sure you do as we'lll.

Jeanette,

I too was and still am confused about this.  From what I understand, there are five types of uterine cancers

• Endometrioid adenocarcinoma: This type of uterine cancer forms in the glandular cells of the uterine lining. It accounts for as much as 75 percent of all uterine cancers. Endometrioid adenocarcinoma is commonly detected early and has a high cure rate.
• Clear cell adenocarcinoma: About 5 percent of uterine cancers are of this type, which is primarily diagnosed in women who were exposed in utero to an estrogen drug known as diethylstilbestrol (DES). From 1938 to 1971, DES was prescribed to some pregnant women to prevent miscarriage. The female children of women exposed to DES have an increased risk of rare types of uterine, cervical, and vaginal cancers. This form of adenocarcinoma tends to recur (come back after treatment) or metastasize (spread) to other areas of the body.
• Serous adenocarcinoma: These tumors are more likely to spread to lymph nodes and other parts of the body. About 10 percent of uterine cancers diagnosed are of this type.
• Adenosquamous carcinoma: This rare form of uterine cancer has elements of both adenocarcinoma and carcinoma of the squamous cells that line the outer surface of the uterus.
• Carcinomasarcoma: This rare form of uterine cancer was previously thought to be a type of uterine sarcoma. However, it is now felt to be an endometrial cancer. It has elements of both adenocarcinoma and sarcoma. These tumors have a high risk of spread to lymph nodes and other parts of the body.

Serous Adenocarcinoma is the one that is (I believe) is UPSC  (Uterine papillary serous carcinoma)

Also, I hope this may explain it more:

PS   Endometrial Adenocarcinoma is usually  found in woman over the age of 55.   However, I was 45 when diagnosed which is unusually.   Further Lynch Syndrome sometimes is the cause to getting this earlier (however, not in my case). 

To say it more simply, the endometrium is the mucous membrane that lines the inside of the uterus.  The word endometrial comes from the word endometrium.  In general, the term endometrial cancer is loosely used to refer to uterine cancer.  It's my understanding that uterine cancer usually (or maybe always) starts in the endometrium, and as it gets worse, it starts to go into deeper layers of the uterus, like the muscle, and eventually also spreads to other places outside of the uterus.  How far it has gone determines the stage of the cancer.  UPSC is one particularly aggressive type of uterine cancer, and the most aggressive cancers are considered grade 3, which is what UPSC is.  It's not the only grade 3 type of uterine cancer, from what I understand.

If your cancer spreads from the uterus to other organs, it's still considered uterine cancer based upon where it starts, not where it goes.  The places it goes to are considered metastases (secondary cancers).  You can also get another primary type of cancer besides UPSC in other places.  If the doctors look at the cells in it under the microscope and decide it's another type of cancer, you could be considered to have two types of cancer at the same time.  For example, if the cells show different types of cancer, you could have breast cancer and uterine cancer at the same time.  If, on the other hand, the uterine cancer spreads to the breast, it would all be considered uterine cancer but the uterine cancer would be considered metastatic to the breast.  It all depends upon what the cells look like under the microscope as to whether it's considered one type with a metastasis or two completely different types.  You can even have two different types of cancer in one particular site.  My mother had two different types of cancer in one breast.

There are common patterns that are followed by the various types of cancer as to where they spread.  We often hear of spread to the lungs for uterine cancer, for example.  When I was having hip problems last year, my orthopedic surgeon told me that he would do an x-ray to look for a metastasis, but that it would be very unlikely to have spread to the hip, as uterine cancer only rarely spreads to the bones. 

When I was waiting for my results from my surgery, a panel of doctors called a tumor board had to decide where mine started.  At first, they thought it started in the ovaries, but then they decided it started in the uterus and spread to the ovaries, the omentum, and the small intestine. I'm not quite sure how they can tell that, if it's based on a certain appearance of the cells, the size of the mass, or if they do some kind of DNA analysis.  My gyn/onc led me to believe it was a matter of opinion between the doctors and the majority ruled so I'm guessing it's something that isn't all that specific.  

If I'm wrong on any of this, please let me know.   

pinky104 said:

You're right, It happened to Me

You're welcome, and you're right about uterine being at the top of the ladder.  I've seen a number of people mention metastases to the lungs on here, so that does seem to be the pattern.

There is always a possibility as my wife was diagnosed with endometrial andenocarcinoma and had no signs of post menopopausal symptoms till her cancer was mestastasized to all bones and now to brain  . When you read statistics this is rare but happens . All I want to point out, you know your body and if bones hurt push for test to eliminate mets and don't let dr. tell you it's unlikely. I wish all here the best.

SOUL-MATE

I was told I had a very rare and aggressive form of cancer back in 2009, not sure where it fits in with the 5 kinds listed: it was "small-cell undifferentiated carcinoma".  I was also told I had three different kinds of cancer cells going on, and my treatment protocol was for the aggressive form.  Any ideas what kind this would be?

Thanks,

Susan

Many thanks Kathy!
)

Many thanks Kathy!

)

When i first saw the oncologist he said I had 2 kinds of uterine cancer. The garden variety as he called it endrometrial cancer (which would need no treatment if that was all I had) and the  serous cancer which he said was very aggressive and that I needed chemo and radiation. Mine was in the uterous and was 1/4 the way through the uterine wall. And thats also what it said on my pathology report a mixure of both cancers. Hopes this helps.