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 of the endometrium, the earliest detectable stage of endometrial cancer. Endometrial adenocarcinomas are cancers that originate in the epithelium of the uterine lining. Grade 1 tumors are the least solid. Grade 3 tumors are characterized by solid tumor growth, and the endometrial glands are not well differentiated.