types of endometrial cancer

daisy366
daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member
edited March 2014 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
Can anyone explain the difference between the endometrial cancers?

I have UPSC. I'm reading about clear cell and other terms. Is UPSC the same as clear cell?

Any help with terms would be appreciated. Thanks. Mary Ann

Comments

  • deanna14
    deanna14 Member Posts: 732
    #2
    Not the same
    My understanding is that clear cell, UPSC and endometreoid are each different "cell types" of endometrial cancer. You can have more than one cell type, like mine is mixed endometreoid and UPSC, they even gave the percentage of each cell type in my path report.
  • shortmarge
    shortmarge Member Posts: 291
    #3
    deanna14 said:

    Not the same
    My understanding is that clear cell, UPSC and endometreoid are each different "cell types" of endometrial cancer. You can have more than one cell type, like mine is mixed endometreoid and UPSC, they even gave the percentage of each cell type in my path report.

    Not the Same
    No they are not the same but they are very close, and clear cell is more rare. I had both!

    MIND, BODY AND SOUL!!

    Hugs
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #4
    shortmarge said:

    Not the Same
    No they are not the same but they are very close, and clear cell is more rare. I had both!

    MIND, BODY AND SOUL!!

    Hugs

    Clear Cell & Papillary Serous (UPSC) are both Grade 3 cancers
    I am pretty sure that clear cell and papillary serous are both always aggressive fast-growing Grade 3 cancers. I know that there are clear cell and papillary serous OVARIAN cancer cells also, and that those names have to do with how differentiated the cells are and how 'bizarre' they look compared to normal cells. I also think I read that Clear Cell is rarer (both are pretty rare for uterine cancer) and that papillary serous is slightly more resistant to treatment.

    The most common type of uterine/endometrial cancer (90%) is much more curable and grows much much slower. If they tell you that you have the 'good' kind of uterine cancer, that's the one they mean.
  • MoeKay
    MoeKay Member Posts: 493 Member
    #5
    Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer
    Grade 3 endometrioid endometrial cancer is quite aggressive and often categorized with the other more aggressive cell types such as UPSC and clear cell. And while my endometrioid EC was grade 2, it had managed to invade 80% of the thickness of my myometrium or uterine muscle wall before diagnosis. So I am not convinced that endometrioid EC is frequently as slow growing or as "good" a cancer as some would have you believe.

    MoeKay
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #6
    MoeKay said:

    Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer
    Grade 3 endometrioid endometrial cancer is quite aggressive and often categorized with the other more aggressive cell types such as UPSC and clear cell. And while my endometrioid EC was grade 2, it had managed to invade 80% of the thickness of my myometrium or uterine muscle wall before diagnosis. So I am not convinced that endometrioid EC is frequently as slow growing or as "good" a cancer as some would have you believe.

    MoeKay

    I didn't know that! Thank you for explaining.
    Any Grade 3 cancer is scary and aggressive. I didn't realize that endometriod cancer cells could be Grade 3. I guess the 'good' kind of uterine cancer is any Grade 1 cell type. It really is confusing, and even with the exact same cell type and stage, every single person's cancer is still so individual and unique. I wonder how they will ever find a cure because of that. I think they are on the right track, trying to find ways to make each person's own immune system 'see' the cancer cells as a foreign body that should be attacked.

    Thanks for that information, MoeKay.
  • deanna14
    deanna14 Member Posts: 732
    #7
    lindaprocopio said:

    I didn't know that! Thank you for explaining.
    Any Grade 3 cancer is scary and aggressive. I didn't realize that endometriod cancer cells could be Grade 3. I guess the 'good' kind of uterine cancer is any Grade 1 cell type. It really is confusing, and even with the exact same cell type and stage, every single person's cancer is still so individual and unique. I wonder how they will ever find a cure because of that. I think they are on the right track, trying to find ways to make each person's own immune system 'see' the cancer cells as a foreign body that should be attacked.

    Thanks for that information, MoeKay.

    Early detection
    I agree with you Linda, that they are certainly on the right track. I just wish someone would come up with a means for early detection!
  • MoeKay
    MoeKay Member Posts: 493 Member
    #8
    History of BC & Tamoxifen Use and High Risk EC Subtypes
    Hi Linda:

    In case you're interested, here's a link to an abstract of a 2008 retrospective study by Bland et al. finding an increased risk of the high-risk endometrial cancer subtypes (grade 3 endometrioid, clear cell and papillary serous) in women with a history of breast cancer and five or more years of tamoxifen use.

    http://breastcancer.researchtoday.net/archive/5/12/7685.htm

    A number of years ago, I also recall reading an article in the NY Times about an increased risk of uterine sarcoma being associated with tamoxifen use.

    Good luck in finishing your internal radiation!

    MoeKay (Maureen)
  • livenow09
    livenow09 Member Posts: 60
    #9
    MoeKay said:

    History of BC & Tamoxifen Use and High Risk EC Subtypes
    Hi Linda:

    In case you're interested, here's a link to an abstract of a 2008 retrospective study by Bland et al. finding an increased risk of the high-risk endometrial cancer subtypes (grade 3 endometrioid, clear cell and papillary serous) in women with a history of breast cancer and five or more years of tamoxifen use.

    http://breastcancer.researchtoday.net/archive/5/12/7685.htm

    A number of years ago, I also recall reading an article in the NY Times about an increased risk of uterine sarcoma being associated with tamoxifen use.

    Good luck in finishing your internal radiation!

    MoeKay (Maureen)

    Breast Cancer/UPSC link
    discovered this little nugget reading the web site for Susan Komen; asked the oncologist about this yesterday and he says the reverse is not true eg UPSC to breast cancer; Tamoxifen is the culprit (?) pretty scary for our breast cancer sisters; a lot has to do with the HER2 oncogene...

    Marie
  • maryln3
    maryln3 Member Posts: 62
    #10
    MoeKay said:

    Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer
    Grade 3 endometrioid endometrial cancer is quite aggressive and often categorized with the other more aggressive cell types such as UPSC and clear cell. And while my endometrioid EC was grade 2, it had managed to invade 80% of the thickness of my myometrium or uterine muscle wall before diagnosis. So I am not convinced that endometrioid EC is frequently as slow growing or as "good" a cancer as some would have you believe.

    MoeKay

    YOUR STORY
    I HAVE SAME CANCER AND INVASION COULD TELL ME

    WERE YOUR NODES BIOSIED

    WERE THEY CANCEROUS

    DO U HAVE YOUR STORY FROM DIAGNOSIS TO CURE??

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