Endometrial cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body such as the vagina or liver and grow there. When cancer cells do this, it’s called metastasis. But the type of cancer is based on the type of cells it started from. So even if endometrial cancer spreads to the liver (or any other place), it’s still called endometrial cancer.
What is the endometrium?
The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus. The uterus is the pear-shaped organ low in a woman’s belly that holds a growing baby.
About every 4 weeks, a woman’s hormones cause the endometrium to get thicker and be ready for pregnancy. If there’s no pregnancy, the endometrium comes out a woman’s vagina as her period. (The vagina connects the uterus to the outside of the body.)
Are there different kinds of endometrial cancer?
There are many kinds of endometrial cancer based on how the cells look. Some are very rare. Your doctor can tell you more about the kind you have.
The most common kind is called adenocarcinoma. These tumors are made up of cells in glands that look a lot like the normal endometrium.