Uterine cancer has two types: endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma. Prognosis depends on tumor grade, cancer stage, and response to progesterone therapy. A uterine biopsy is used to diagnose the cancer, and staging determines the progression of the cancer. Progesterone therapy can prolong a patient’s life.
There are two types of uterine cancer. The former, also called endometrial cancer, is cancer of the lining of the uterine wall; this type of uterine cancer is by far the more common of the two. The second type, uterine sarcoma, involves cancerous cells in the muscle surrounding a woman’s uterus. The prognosis for uterine cancer varies based on three factors: the grade of the tumor, the stage of the cancer, and the cancer’s response to progesterone.
When a doctor suspects a patient may have uterine cancer, the doctor will perform a uterine biopsy, which involves removing a section of the uterus and sending it to a lab. The technicians then examine this fabric. If a malignant or cancerous tumor is present, the technician will rate the tumor as a 1, 2, or 3 based on the size and consistency of the lump. The prognosis of uterine cancer depends in part on the grade of the tumor.
Staging — a step in determining a uterine cancer prognosis that determines the progression of a cancer — also plays a role in uterine cancer prognosis. Uterine cancer is slow growing in most people, which bodes well for people with the disease. Stage 1 uterine cancer means that the cancer is present only along the wall of the uterus. Stages 1A and 1B indicate the depth of the cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for uterine cancer patients at this stage is 96%.
Stage 2 means that uterine cancer is found in the cervix, which is the closest part of the body to the uterus. In stage 3, the cancer spreads regionally to other parts of the reproductive system, such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes, or lymph nodes in that part of the body. End stage uterine cancer indicates that the cancer has spread outside the pelvic region or that, within the region, the cancer is in the bladder. As staging progresses, the survival rate for patients with uterine cancer decreases.
A tumor’s response to progesterone also affects the prognosis of uterine cancer. Using progesterone therapy is one way to reduce the growth of late-stage uterine cancer. Patients using this therapy receive injections or oral prescriptions for progesterone, which will help offset the effects of too much estrogen. Progesterone therapy does not cure uterine cancer; rather it works to prolong a patient’s life with the highest possible quality of life.
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