Rare Subtype of Endometrial Cancer: Undifferentiated/Dedifferentiated Endometrial Carcinoma, from Genetic Aspects to Clinical Practice

Abstract

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecologic cancers worldwide. There were 417,367 newly diagnosed cases and 97,370 deaths due to this disease worldwide in 2020. The incidence rates have increased over time, especially in countries with rapid socioeconomic transitions, and EC has been the most prevalent gynecologic malignancy in Taiwan since 2012. The new EC molecular classifications of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network include clear-cell carcinoma, serous carcinoma, and carcinosarcoma, while undifferentiated/dedifferentiated EC (UDEC) is not mentioned, and most previous clinical trials for EC have not included UDEC. UDEC is rare, has an aggressive growth pattern, tends to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, and is resistant to conventional chemotherapy. In this review, case series or case reports on the clinical features and genomic/epigenetic and expression profiles on UDEC data are summarized in order to identify potential molecular targets for current and future research.

Analysis of Prognostic Factors and Cancer-Specific Survival in Patients with Undifferentiated and Dedifferentiated Endometrial Carcinoma Undergoing Various Postoperative Adjuvant Therapies

“…Therefore, clinicians need to place adequate emphasis on the diagnosis of the disease, which requires appropriate sampling of endometrial tissue, supported by IHC staining if necessary; otherwise, the condition can be missed or misdiagnosed as G3 EC, UESS, UNEC, or UCS. 2,19 Ganju et al 20 reported 24 cases of UEC, 10 (42%) of which were advanced at diagnosis. And 2 of them spread to uterine serosa or adnexa, 4 showed pelvic lymph node involvement, and 4 had distant metastases.…”

Cutaneous Metastasis of Endometrial Cancer and Long-Term Survival: A Scoping Review and Our Experience

“…The most prevalent gynecologic cancer is endometrial cancer [1][2][3]. In 2018, there were 121,600 new cases of this cancer diagnosed in Europe, roughly 6.6% of all malignancies found in women.…”

Dedifferentiated endometrial carcinoma metastasis to axillary lymph node: a case report

“…Endometrial carcinoma is also described on the basis of histology, with the most common type being endometrioid, followed by the more uncommon clear cell and serous cell (both non-endometrioid) [ 11 ]. Even more rare is the recently recognized dedifferentiated endometrial carcinoma, which tends to be more aggressive, diagnosed at a later stage, and noted to be resistant to conventional chemotherapies [ 12 ].…”