Uterine Cancer Diagnosis

In fact, your cancer is as unique as you are. And your treatment plan should be, too. That’s why the first step in an effective treatment plan is to get an accurate and precise diagnosis.

Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University has a team of radiologists and pathologists dedicated solely to gynecologic cancers, meaning they are experts at uterine cancer diagnosis and staging. That’s important because the stage of your disease indicates whether it has spread to your lymph nodes and other parts of the body. But we don’t stop there. We go beyond staging to analyze your cancer down to the molecular level to determine exactly what’s driving it — so we can figure out how best to stop it.

Uterine cancer, also known as endometrial cancer, generally falls into two main types based on the cells where the cancer originates, the endometrium (or inner lining of the uterus) and the myometrium (or muscle wall of the uterus).

• Endometrial carcinoma is the most common type of uterine cancer, accounting for most cases. Endometrial carcinoma generally has a more favorable outcome compared to uterine sarcoma, especially when diagnosed at an early stage.
• Uterine sarcoma is less common but tends to be more aggressive. It is often associated with older age and a history of certain pre-cancerous conditions. It is more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, making it challenging to treat.

It's important to note that there are other, less common subtypes of uterine cancer, and individual cases may vary.

If you have symptoms of uterine cancer, your physician will order diagnostic testing to check for the presence of cancer. At Winship, we take a multi-stage approach to uterine cancer diagnosis, because it’s imperative we understand your cancer to treat it accordingly. We know you’re anxious to move forward with treatment, but getting a full and precise uterine cancer diagnosis is critical, and it won’t take long. We promise.

Diagnostic imaging. At Winship, we have access to the most up-to-date imaging technology to allow us to diagnose and stage uterine cancer. Ultrasound is usually the first step, and we have some of the best ultrasound specialists around. Our expert radiologists also use the latest computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, to determine whether and to what extent the disease has spread within the body

Biopsy. The only way to determine whether a tumor in the uterus is cancerous is to remove a tissue sample (biopsy) and test it in the lab. Endometrial biopsy can be performed right in the doctor’s office.

Molecular pathology. If your tumor is determined to be cancerous, our molecular pathologists will conduct genomic profiling to identify any genetic mutations and biomarkers, or cell characteristics. Winship scientists, genomic and tumor sequencing experts will analyze what’s driving your particular uterine cancer, and then work with your oncologists to determine which types of treatment are most likely to work against it.