The ovaries, which are responsible for producing the eggs required for fertility, can develop genetic mutations that cause some of the cells to grow abnormally. Endometrioid carcinoma, despite its name, its not a type of endometrial cancer. Instead it is a kind of ovarian cancer, although the cells appear similar to those found in the endometrium when examined under a microscope.
Prevalence
Endometrioid carcinomas are the second most common type of epithelial ovarian cancer, the College of American Pathologists explains. Epithelial cells are those that line or cover various tissues. Cancer tissue originating in these cells represents the most common form of ovarian cancer. Endometrioid carcinomas comprise somewhere between 2 and 4 percent of all ovarian tumors. However, because the vast majority of them are malignant, they make up between 10 and 20 percent of all cases of ovarian cancer.
Risk Factors
Endometrioid carcinomas are most common in women who are between the ages of 50 and 70 . Ten percent of all patients with endometrioid carcinomas have a mutation in a gene known as BRCA1, according to the University of Connecticut's Pathology Department. Mutations in this gene are associated with a number of other cancers, including breast cancer and endometrial cancer. In fact, 15 to 30 percent of all women with endometrial carcinoma also have uterine cancer. Women who are in menopause and have one child or no children are also more likely to develop this condition.
Symptoms
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are generally vague. Patients with ovarian cancer, the College of American Pathologists explains, may have abdominal or pelvic pain that lasts for two weeks or more. Patients may also have gas, bloating and nausea. Endometrial carcinomas can also cause frequent urination, vaginal bleeding, sudden weight loss, fatigue and a change in bowel movements.
Diagnosis
Doctors may use rectovaginal and pelvic examinations to diagnose abnormalities on the surface of the ovaries. If any unusual lumps are detected, a transvaginal ultrasound may be needed to confirm the presence of any masses. CA-125, which is a protein that ovarian tumors excrete into the blood, may also be measured. An MRI or CT scan can confirm the presence of ovarian cancer. In order to diagnose endometrioid cancer, patients need to have part of the tumor removed so that the tissue sample can be examined under a microscope. The cells of a endometrioid carcinoma are indistinguishable from those in endometrial cancer, the University of Connecticut's Department of Pathology notes, hence the name.
Staging
Endometrioid carcinomas can be divided into four different stages. In stage I, the cancer is confined to the ovary. Stage II carcinomas have spread from the ovaries but are still within the pelvis. If the cancer has spread into the abdominal cavity, the patient has stage III endometrioid carcinoma. The final stage, stage IV, is marked by the cancer having spread throughout the body.
Treatment
Endometrioid carcinomas are initially treated with surgery, notes the College of American Pathologists. This surgery will attempt to remove as much of the abnormal tissue as possible. In some cases, the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus may need to be removed if the cancer has spread. Patients often will then receive chemotherapy, which uses chemicals that poison the cancerous cells, and radiation treatment, which damages the remaining tumor cells using high-energy X-rays.
