Though if they do cause any bleeding or pain, they can be surgically removed. Cancerous tumors of the uterus, as with most cancers, spread to other tissues and organs if left untreated. Endometrial cancer refers specifically to tumors that originate in the endometrial lining of the uterus. If the tumor originates in the deeper, muscular walls of the uterus, it is called uterine sarcoma. There is a precancerous condition called endometrial hyperplasia, or adenomatous hyperplasia.
Endometrial hyperplasia can be mild, moderate, or severe.
The usual symptom is irregular uterine bleeding. Severe hyperplasia is considered carcinoma in situ, the earliest detectable stage of endometrial cancer. It is the fifth most common cancer among women worldwide. It is estimated that there will be approximately 35,000 new cases of endometrial cancer reported this year in the U.S., and nearly 5,000 deaths. Its incidence is increasing, however, in many economically underdeveloped countries.